From Prayer to Action: Catholic Bishops March Against Galamsey

The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, alongside the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious and Catholic Lay Faithful and Professionals, has launched an Environmental Prayer Protest Walk aimed at combating illegal mining, known as galamsey.

This initiative seeks to highlight the severe consequences of these activities and to urge the government to take immediate action.

The protest’s primary objective is to push for a state of emergency regarding mining, particularly in sensitive areas near water bodies and forest reserves.

Father Nicolas Azzineh, National President for Peace, Justice, and Creation of the Catholic Church of Ghana, in an interview expressed hope that divine intervention will inspire a change in attitudes toward the environment.

“We pray that God will open hearts to better appreciate and care for nature,” he stated.

The Bishops emphasized the duty of Catholics and all Ghanaians to protect the environment.

“We acknowledge our moral responsibility to preserve God’s creation and promote genuine human development, not just in words but in actions,” they asserted, invoking the Latin phrase, “facta non verba.”

They have called on Catholics, Christians, and all concerned Ghanaians to join what they describe as an “environmental prayer war against galamsey.”

The initiative aims to raise awareness about the catastrophic effects of illegal mining and to compel the government to declare a state of emergency to halt all mining activities, allowing for a thorough assessment and restoration of affected lands.