Consecrated Men and Women working in the West African country of Ghana have pledged their unflinching support for the fight against the destruction of the environment through illegal mining popularly known as galamsey.
“We want to use this opportunity to express our unflinching support to the fight against Illegal Mining, a.k.a galamsey,” they said in communique issued on November 1, 2022.
“We were privileged and grateful to receive some input on the impact of illegal mining popularly known as galamsey on our environment by the Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Koforidua.”
The Communique signed by Very Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Paul Saa-Dade Ennin, SMA, President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious Ghana, a body of the Consecrated Men and Women Religious.
The Conference from October 11 to 14 met in Koforidua for its 2nd Biennial Conference and deliberated on issues bothering on the growth of the Conference, their missionary commitment and the state of the Church in Ghana as well as on the socio-cultural context in which they lived and worked.
“We were simply horrified by what we saw and heard. We condemn in the strongest possible terms all those involved in this shameful, despicable and destructive activities, whoever they may be,” the Communique stated.
According to the Religious Group, “We were most shocked to learn that the recent increase in ritual killings and child kidnapping may have some link to increase in galamsey activities.”
What are we becoming as a people? What devilish spirit of wealth accumulation and “get rich quick” no matter the cost has possessed us?, they queried, saying “The time has come for all of us to wake up and mobilise to stop this evil and nation wrecker.”
The Conference commended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Christian Council, journalists and media groups, civil society organisations, Chiefs, Youth groups and all those who had taken a stand against the menace that is threatening the very existence as a nation and paints a gloomy picture of the future.
“The culture of silence must stop,” the Religious stressed, making reference to Pope Francis’ encyclical letter ‘Laudato Si, which following in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Ecology, “warns us of the catastrophic consequences of destroying the environment, our common home.”
“We are aware as a Conference that issuing communiqués and condemnations may not necessarily stop the galamsey. However, it adds to the voices already out there calling for a halt to the illegal activity.”
By Newswatchgh.com
