Catholic Archdiocese of Accra Petitions President Akufo-Addo to Take Action Against Galamsey

The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has officially petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, calling for urgent measures to end illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey,” in Ghana.

This action follows a protest held on Friday, October 11, which saw participation from civil society groups, environmentalists, and religious bodies.

The Archdiocese outlined three key demands in its petition:

1. Declaration of a state of emergency in areas most affected by illegal mining.

2. Imposing a moratorium on the issuance of new mining licenses.

3. Repeal of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which permits mining in environmentally sensitive areas.

The petition also called for stricter enforcement of environmental and mining laws and urged accountability for those involved in illegal mining.

The Archdiocese stressed the need to protect Ghana’s natural resources and framed the issue as a national security concern requiring decisive government intervention.