The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, has called on the government to demonstrate the political will needed to decisively tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
He said the government had both the authority and capacity to end the menace, which continues to destroy mining communities, pollute water bodies and impose significant costs on the state to treat contaminated water.
“I think that government has the political power. It also has the might to crush galamsey. If government wants to crush galamsey, government is able to,” he said.
Rt. Rev. Dr Kwakye made the remarks in an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
He expressed concern that the country had not demonstrated sufficient public outrage over the destruction caused by illegal mining, urging Ghanaians to unite against the menace.
“I pray that this nation will rise up together. It looks like we are not angry enough to deal with it. Whatever the problems, let’s deal with galamsey because it affects me. It affects you,” he said.
According to him, the effects of illegal mining extend beyond communities where the activity takes place, with residents in Accra and other parts of the country also bearing the consequences through polluted water and environmental degradation.
“We sit in Accra, there’s no galamsey going on here, but we are all reaping from what is happening in these places,” he said.
The Presbyterian Moderator said the Church would continue to advocate an end to illegal mining regardless of which political party was in government.
He recalled that the first National Red Sunday was held in 2024, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was in opposition, stressing that the Church’s campaign was not targeted at any political party.
“We are not partisan. We are looking at the welfare and development of our nation,” he said.
He called for a bipartisan approach to tackling galamsey, arguing that the environmental consequences of the practice did not discriminate based on political affiliation.
“What we are seeking is for this nation to do what is right. And for this nation to be united. And that is why we are asking for a bipartisan approach. It’s important that we save ourselves,” he said.
“The water that is polluted does not ask whether your lips are NDC or New Patriotic Party. They don’t seek your partisan colours,” he added.
Rt. Rev. Dr Kwakye also expressed reservations about calls for the declaration of a state of emergency to address illegal mining, saying his priority was tangible results rather than the declaration of a particular measure.
“I think it’s getting worse when people say they want a state of emergency. I personally, I do not know what they mean. A state of emergency might be declared, and it may not yield fruit,” he said.
He said the focus should instead be on effective enforcement that would lead to a measurable reduction in illegal mining and the restoration of degraded lands and polluted water bodies.
The Presbyterian Church, he said, would continue to use its platforms to raise awareness about the effects of galamsey, including through initiatives such as its annual symposium and the National Red Sunday campaign.