The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) is calling on the government to declare a state of emergency over illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, saying the crisis is worsening.
President of the Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, says the situation requires more radical measures to protect public health, the environment and livelihoods.
In an interview on Accra-based Citi News on Thursday, October 8, 2026, Most Rev. Gyamfi warned that galamsey goes beyond environmental destruction.
“You cannot stop fighting galamsey. It is poisonous and very dangerous,” he said, adding that it is “creating other sicknesses, introducing illegal drugs into the water system, the food chain and etc.”
Most Rev. Gyamfi said President John Dramani Mahama, having sworn to protect and defend the country, must be seen to act decisively.
He said the current situation is one “where we say a state of emergency should be declared on this deplorable and wicked situation so that Ghanaians will be seen to be really and clearly defended.”
The call comes at a time when government has come under pressure from civil society organisations, environmental groups and religious bodies to intensify the fight against galamsey.
Despite the deployment of taskforces and repeated assurances, several water bodies remain polluted, forest reserves continue to be destroyed, and health experts have warned of rising cases of kidney diseases and birth defects linked to chemicals used in illegal mining.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference has been consistent in its advocacy, having in previous communiques described galamsey as a moral and existential threat to the nation.
Galamsey, cocaine and cost of living drive negative sentiment online – IMANI Pulse
