1 month ago
10 ARTICLE AD
The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, in collaboration with the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious Ghana (CMSR-Gh) on Friday staged an environmental walk against galamsey (illegal mining) in Accra.
Attended by more than a hundred people, the peaceful exercise ended with the submission of a petition to the Presidency, to call for immediate action to halt illegal mining and protect Ghana’s natural resources.
The petition, presented by the Auxiliary Bishop of the Accra Archdiocese, Rev. Anthony Asare, was received on behalf of the President by Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Emmanuel Adumua-Bossman.
The document outlined the severe consequences of illegal mining, including the pollution of water bodies, the depletion of farmlands, and the rising health risks for children born in affected communities.
The walk, meant to raise awareness about the harmful effects of illegal mining, attracted more than 100 participants who carried placards with messages such as ‘The Globe is Warming up,’ ‘Our God is a Green God,’ ‘There is No Planet B,’ and ‘Choose ECO not EGO.”
It began at 10:00 a.m. from the Holy Spirit Cathedral and continued through Ridge Roundabout, Sankara, the Police Headquarters, and Cantonments before culminating at Christ the King Parish, where a prayer session was held for divine intervention and a public call to action, urging the President and stakeholders to take immediate steps to halt the destruction caused by illegal mining.
Addressing journalists during the walk, Director for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Father Mathias Kotoka Amuzu, reiterated the Church’s call for the government’s intervention, stating that since 2017, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference had issued nine communiques urging government to take action against illegal mining, but little has been done.
He emphasised the importance of protecting the environment for future generations, noting, “We are heading towards a dangerous zone because all our water bodies are being polluted, farmlands are being depleted, and people are suffering severe health consequences because of galamsey.”
“I hope that this initiative will serve as a catalyst for change and prompt swift action to safeguard the country’s environment for future generations,” he added.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
