Galamsey a threat to Ghana’s soul – Catholic Laity Council backs Bishops Conference

The Ghana National Catholic Laity Council (NCLC) has declared full support for the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) in its call for an end to illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, describing it as a “fight for the very soul of Ghana.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the council, representing Catholic laymen and women in all dioceses and parishes across the country, endorsed the bishops’ recent condemnation of the destructive practice. The council said galamsey was not only an environmental and economic problem but also a moral and spiritual crisis that threatened lives, livelihoods, and the future of the nation.

“We see our rivers—the Pra, Birim, Ankobra, Offin, Ayensu, and many more—once life-giving and clear, now poisoned with mercury and cyanide, running brown and lifeless,” the council said. “We watch fertile farmlands destroyed and children dropping out of school to risk their lives in unstable mining shafts. Galamsey has truly become a national disaster.”

The NCLC urged all Catholic faithful involved in illegal mining, whether directly or indirectly, to desist immediately, warning that participation in galamsey was “incompatible with the Catholic faith” and a sin that endangered the soul. Parish priests, lay associations, and parish councils were encouraged to intensify education and dialogue to guide those seeking alternatives.

Beyond its appeal to Catholics, the council called on the government to declare a state of emergency in heavily affected mining areas, prosecute offenders regardless of status, and create sustainable livelihoods in agriculture and technical training.

It also demanded nationwide reforestation and land reclamation programmes.

“This is not simply a fight for rivers and forests. It is a fight for the soul of Ghana,” the statement concluded, pledging the laity’s commitment to advocacy, environmental protection campaigns, and prayers for national renewal.