“Galamsey Is Shameful, An Act Of Terrorism” – Presby Moderator
Rt. Rev Prof Obiri Yeboah Mantey, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has described the activities of illegal miners otherwise known as Galamsey as “an act of Terrorism” against the state.
He says illegal mining is a shameful and abhorrent act that must urgently be stopped since, in his view, it is inimical to national development and puts the future of the country in a state of jeopardy.
Activities of illegal mining in the country have taken the centre of national discussions in recent times after videos of the impact of their actions on river bodies and forest reserves began circulating on social media and traditional media platforms.
With President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stepping up the fight against the menace, concerned Ghanaians and major stakeholders including the Christian Council of Ghana have unanimously called for the outright ban on Small Scale Mining if illegal mining is to be stopped.
Speaking at the Centenary Anniversary climax of the Asante Presbytery in Kumasi on Sunday 6th November 2022, the Moderator sent a strong warning to galamseyers for causing massive destruction to the nation’s natural resources.
“And for those of you who are engaged in that evil work called galamsey, that evil work that is destroying the nation, whoever you are I say shame on you; you are destroying the nation”, he fumed.
Rt. Rev Prof J.O.Y. Mantey likened the impact of galamsey to terrorism saying; “in fact if you ask me the way they are doing the galamsey with excavators and chanfan, it is an act of terrorism; you are terrorising the nation and it should be treated as such, it is a serious matter”, he insisted.
To make matters worse, the Moderator recalled the sad incident at Odumase in the Asante-Akyem Central of the Ashanti Region where a woman fell and died in a pit of galamsey in the house when she attempted to attend nature’s call this year.
His biggest dream in the fight against galamsey is to wake up one “day when the big men behind galamsey will be arrested and jailed”.
Source: Opemsuo.com/ Kwabena Kyeremateng Addo
