The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), has joined mounting calls for tougher government action against illegal mining, widely known as galamsey, warning that the practice poses a grave threat to the country’s survival.
The Council’s warning comes after similar appeals from the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the National Catholic Laity Council, and the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey.
The CCG in a statement signed on Sunday, September 28, said it welcomed President John Mahama’s assurance that declaring a state of emergency remained an option, as well as recent steps to designate forests and water bodies as security zones. But it insisted more decisive action was needed.
“Galamsey continues to inflict severe and irreversible damage on our environment—polluting water bodies, destroying forests, and threatening livelihoods across the nation,” said Rev Dr Cyril Fayose, the Council’s General Secretary.
The group described illegal mining as not only an environmental problem but also a “moral, social, and national security crisis.” It warned that poisoned rivers, degraded farmlands, and deforestation were endangering food security, public health, and the country’s future.
The CCG urged government to enforce the law “without fear or favour” and ensure that those who finance or profit from galamsey—regardless of political or social status—are brought to justice.
It also called on chiefs, politicians, businesses, and citizens to support the fight. “The fight against galamsey is not the sole responsibility of government. It demands the collective will, commitment, and action of the entire nation,” the statement said.
The Council said the struggle must be won to ensure that future generations inherit a Ghana where rivers run clean, farms flourish, and communities live in dignity.
