Catholic Archdiocese Petitions Akufo-Addo Over Galamsey Crisis

The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has submitted a formal petition to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, urging immediate and strong measures to combat illegal mining in Ghana.

This appeal follows a significant protest on October 11, which saw numerous civil society groups, environmental advocates, and religious organizations come together to highlight the devastating effects of illegal mining, known as galamsey.

In its petition, the Archdiocese outlined three critical demands:

1. Declare a state of emergency in regions severely impacted by galamsey.
2. Implement an immediate halt on the issuance of mining licenses.
3. Repeal Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which allows mining in environmentally sensitive areas.

Additionally, the Archdiocese called for stricter enforcement of current environmental and mining regulations and accountability for those involved in illegal mining activities.

The petition emphasizes the necessity of safeguarding Ghana’s natural resources for future generations, holding the government accountable for taking decisive action against environmental degradation linked to illegal mining.

“We urge the government to take swift and comprehensive steps to end illegal mining. This issue must be recognized as a pressing Social, Economic, and National Security concern. As such, it requires declaring a state of emergency regarding galamsey, halting mining license issuance, repealing LI 2462, enforcing existing laws, holding wrongdoers accountable, and ensuring that those engaging in illegal mining face the full weight of the law without bias.”

PETITION-TO-PREZ-AKUFO-ADDO-ENVIRONMENTAL-PRAYER-WALK-AGAINST-GALAMSEY-CATHOLIC-CHURCH-ACCRA1