As illegal gold mining surge in Ghana and destroying the environment, the Catholic Church has announced that it will not accept donations derived from proceeds of the illicit act, commonly referred to as galamsey.
The decision, according to the church, is part of broader sanctions geared towards addressing the involvement of its members in galamsey.
Speaking at the Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference, the President of the Bishops Conference, Most Rev Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, stated the Church’s stance on the issue will be enforced firmly.
“We will not accept any donations that are the fruit of illegal mining,” he declared.
“The sanctions will be tightened further even to the extent that if you openly engage in galamsey, after a series of advice and you persist in that dangerous activity, we may even refuse you Holy Communion,” he stated.
This comes after issues of illegal mining have inundated the media space, with videos and pictures of large river bodies heavily polluted by these miners.
Experts warn that the heavy metals like mercury and lead used by illegal miners remain in these rivers which serve as the source of drinking water for many communities in these areas.
There have been many reported cases of babies born with strange deformities in areas where illegal mining is pervasive, triggering calls for the government to stop all forms surface mining across the country to save lives of the citizens.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
