The Minority Caucus in Parliament has thrown its full support behind the Presbyterian Church of Ghana’s nationwide anti-galamsey campaign, describing the church’s intervention as a timely and necessary step towards addressing one of the country’s gravest environmental crises.
In a statement issued by the Minority members on Parliament’s Select Committee on Lands and Natural Resources, the Minority commended the church for dedicating its “Red Sunday” campaign to the fight against illegal mining, saying the move reflects the growing anxiety among Ghanaians over the destruction of rivers, forests and farmlands.
The statement signed by Ranking Member on the committee, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong
said the decision by one of Ghana’s most influential religious institutions to join the campaign against illegal mining demonstrates the seriousness of the situation and should inspire a broader national movement.
“The destruction of our rivers, forests and farmlands is a national crisis that demands a united national response,” the statement said.
The caucus, however, reminded Ghanaians that the current administration came to power on the strength of promises to eradicate illegal mining through its “Reset Agenda”, yet the scourge remains pervasive.
According to the Minority, the persistence and, in some areas, worsening of galamsey activities should concern every Ghanaian irrespective of political affiliation.
It cautioned against reducing the anti-galamsey fight to partisan politics, insisting that illegal mining must be treated strictly as a national governance and law enforcement issue.
It further observed that politically exposed persons and influential actors have, over time, enabled and sustained illegal mining operations, making it imperative to insulate enforcement agencies from political interference.
“The fight against galamsey must not be reduced to partisan point-scoring. It must be deliberately removed from partisan politics and treated as a national issue,” the statement emphasized.
The Minority therefore called on other faith-based organisations, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, the media and citizens to actively join the campaign to build a united front against environmental degradation.
Beyond public advocacy, the Minority argued that Ghana requires stronger and more enduring institutions to tackle illegal mining.
The caucus noted that successive governments have launched various anti-galamsey initiatives, including Operation Vanguard, Galamstop and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), but these efforts have often been undermined by changes in political administrations.
It proposed that NAIMOS be formalised through the necessary Legislative Instruments (L.I.) to clearly define its mandate, structure, powers, accountability mechanisms and operational independence.
According to the Minority, granting NAIMOS legal backing would help create a permanent institutional framework capable of sustaining the anti-galamsey fight beyond electoral cycles.
By: Christian Kpesese
