Galamsey Crisis Worsening; Declare State of Emergency – Catholic Bishops To Government

By Dominic Duut

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on the government to declare a state of emergency over the worsening illegal mining (galamsey) crisis in the country.

The call was made on 9th October, 2026, during a meeting of the Bishops’ Conference.

According to the Bishops, the galamsey menace continues to destroy the country’s water bodies, forest reserves and farmlands at an alarming rate, despite numerous interventions by successive governments.

They noted that the situation has become a national emergency that threatens the very survival of the nation, food security and public health.

The Catholic Bishops are therefore urging President John Dramani Mahama and his government to take decisive and urgent action by declaring a state of emergency to halt all forms of illegal mining activities and to implement stringent measures to restore the environment.

They stressed that the fight against galamsey should be devoid of politics and that all hands must be on deck to save Ghana’s natural resources.

The Bishops also called on all Ghanaians, traditional authorities, security agencies and civil society organizations to support government in the fight against the menace.

The galamsey crisis has in recent times sparked national outrage, with many groups and individuals calling for more radical measures to end the practice.