The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, has reaffirmed the church’s commitment to the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
In his closing remarks at the 4th National Public Lecture of the PCG, held at the Ghana Police Church in Accra under the theme “Living Ecologically Just: A Biblical Response to Ecological Threats,” the Moderator insisted that the church has not failed in raising issues about galamsey.
“The church has not failed in raising issues in the fight against galamsey,” he said. He explained that the Christian community continues to use the pulpit, communiqués, and other platforms to speak against the menace. “We will talk about it and impress on the people in it to stop, and pray that our attempts will be useful,” he added.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye acknowledged that while the church has played its part, there was more the Christian community could do to intensify advocacy using moral persuasion. He urged Christians to remain steadfast in speaking truth to power, encouraging those engaged in galamsey to abandon the practice for the sake of the environment and future generations.
The lecture brought together distinguished dignitaries, including Rev. Prof. Johnson Mbillah, Vice Rector of the Akrofi-Christaller Institute and member of the Judicial Council of Ghana; Rev. Prof. B. Y. Quarshie, former Rector of the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture; Rev. Prof. Benzies Adu Okoree, Dean of the Faculty of Development Studies at the Presbyterian University, Ghana; and Mr. Felix Addo-Okyerih, Director and Head of Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who represented the Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Kluste.
The lecture underscored the importance of faith-based institutions in addressing ecological threats, with the Moderator’s remarks serving as a reminder that the church’s voice remains vital in the national conversation on environmental justice.
