The African Faith Tabernacle Church in the Bono, Ahafo and Bono East regions has warned its members against engaging in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, and pledged to disown anyone found involved in the practice.
The Church said it would establish a monitoring committee to visit mining communities and identify members who might be engaged in illegal mining activities.
Chief Pastor Joseph Nkumsah, who announced the decision, said the move was part of the Church’s contribution to the national fight against illegal mining, which he noted was destroying water bodies and degrading the environment.
He urged members to desist from activities that threatened the country’s natural resources and appealed to them to support efforts to protect the environment.
Chief Pastor Nkumsah made the remarks at the Church’s national convention held at Yawhima, near Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The convention was held on the theme: “Buy the Truth and Sell it Not; Wisdom, Instruction and Understanding” (Proverbs 23:23).
He said the Church could not remain indifferent to the devastating impact of illegal mining on communities, particularly the pollution of water bodies, and therefore considered it necessary to monitor the activities of its members in mining areas.
“Any member found to be engaged in illegal mining will be disowned by the Church,” he said.
Galamsey is currently the leading anti-environmental activity in Ghana with thousands of hectares of forests and farmlands being damaged beyond restoration while the government continue to literally look on unconcerned but pretend to be fighting it.
The level of environmental degradation and devastation caused by this illegal activity is beyond description as the efforts by a few community leaders and members do not yield any meaningful results because even District Security Committees (DISECs), Regional Security Councils (REGSECs) and National Security have failed to stop people from engaging in this lawlessness.
