Catholic Archdiocese of Accra petitions Akufo-Addo over galamsey

The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has formally petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, urging him to take immediate and decisive action to halt all illegal mining activities in Ghana.

The petition follows a large protest walk held on Friday, October 11, which saw participation from several civil society groups, environmental activists, and religious organizations.

The event was part of a broader campaign aimed at raising awareness about the destructive impact of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, and pressing for urgent government intervention.

In its petition, the Archdiocese outlined three key demands:

1. Declaration of a state of emergency in areas heavily affected by galamsey.
2. Immediate moratorium on the issuance of mining licenses.
3. Repeal of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which governs the issuance of mining licenses, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas.

The Archdiocese also called for stricter enforcement of existing environmental and mining laws and accountability for individuals and institutions involved in illegal mining activities.

The petition stresses the importance of protecting Ghana’s natural resources for future generations and holds the government responsible for taking firm action against those perpetuating environmental degradation through illegal mining.

“We urge the government to swiftly employ all available means to immediately halt illegal mining activities. This means that the problem is stated clearly and unambiguously as a Social, Economic and National Security issue.

“Thus articulated, it must engender actions such as the declaration of a state of emergency in relation to galamsey, triggering a moratorium on issuing mining licences, repealing of LI 2462, which allows mining in forest reserves, enforcing existing laws, holding perpetrators accountable, and ensuring that those involved in illegal mining face the full force of the law without fear or favour.”