The Church of Pentecost has been forced to abandon traditional river baptisms in several mining communities due to severe pollution of water bodies caused by illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.
Chairman of the Church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, raised the alarm while delivering the State of the Church Address at the 48th General Conference on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
He explained that the extensive pollution of rivers and streams has made it impossible to conduct water baptisms in the traditional manner in affected areas.
“The extensive pollution of water bodies due to illegal mining has hampered traditional water baptism in some mining communities, necessitating a shift to synthetic rubber pools in several districts to carry out the ordinance,” Apostle Nyamekye stated.
The Church leader further warned that the environmental degradation from galamsey is not only disrupting religious practices but also undermining the livelihoods of many church members, especially those engaged in agriculture and fishing.
He pointed to erratic rainfall patterns, declining cocoa yields, and the seasonal movement of fish stocks as factors destabilising local economies.
“These unpredictable environmental conditions, along with the seasonal migration of fish stocks, continue to impact the steady financial growth and stability of affected local assemblies,” he noted.
Despite these challenges, Apostle Nyamekye highlighted the Church’s continued efforts to expand its social and evangelistic impact across the country.
By the end of 2025, the Church had established skills development centres in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region and Essam in the Western North Region, providing vocational training opportunities for young people.
The Church has also supported master craftsmen to train apprentices as part of initiatives aimed at tackling youth unemployment.
Additionally, it has initiated, completed, and handed over several health facilities, prison infrastructure projects, and other amenities to the state as part of its broader social interventions.