In a renewed call to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey, Sr. Dr. Lucy Hometowu, SMMC, the newly elected President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious, Ghana (CMSR, GH), has reiterated the Conference’s commitment to mobilizing advocacy, education, and partnerships to combat the environmental menace.
According to Sr. Hometowu, illegal mining in Ghana remains a “profound moral crisis and a spiritual challenge” that threatens forests, rivers, and public health.
Speaking with Newswatchgh.com, Sr. Hometowu expressed concerns regarding illegal mining, noting that the menace poses challenges to both human life and the environment.
She added, “Galamsey is one of the most pressing ecological and social challenges in Ghana. Galamsey threatens both human life and the environment.”
Sr. Dr. Lucy Hometowu, who is the Superior of the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church ( SMMC), encouraged consecrated men and women to continue educating and advocating for alternatives that will stop poverty-driven mining.
She noted that the Conference plans to add environmental ethics into its mission through tree-planting and sensitization aligned with Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’.
“CMSR-Gh intend to sustain our awareness creation by integrating environmental ethics into our core mission to promote environmental stewardship, encourage responsible citizenship, and partner with government and NGO’s to support reforestation and environmental restoration initiatives in affected areas,” she noted.
She also recalled the 2024 prayer walk in the Catholic Archdiocese Accra, which raised national awareness of galamsey’s impacts, adding that “the impact of this initiative was positively felt in Ghana and beyond. Unfortunately, the menace continues.”
Sr. Hometowu acknowledged the works of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) but noted that their operations comes with safety challenges and appealed to the government to address the situation by “urgently by equipping them with adequate resources to protect their lives.”
She urged bolder government action, including the declaration of a state of emergency in high-risk zones, emphasizing the need to fight against the menace.
“This is a collective responsibility and I entreat all Ghanaians, to fight for our common home without fear. Our lives matter, our forests and water bodies matter. Let us act now”, she urged.
Sr. Dr. Lucy Hometowu was elected during the second biennial conference of the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious, in Brofoyaw in the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast, under the theme “Consecrated Life for Human Rights Protection and Ecological Justice”.
By: Veronica Sena Amenya/Newswathgh.com
