Ghanaians, church solidly behind govt and media in fight against illegal mining

The Ashanti Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana has urged the government and the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining not to relent in their effort at fighting the menace but be encouraged that both the church and majority of Ghanaians are solidly behind them.

The Moderator of the Presbytery, Rev. Richard Kwame Nimo, said the team should not be intimidated by threats from  galamsey operators but must rather be focused on rescuing Ghana from any future crisis.

"As stewards, we are not only responsible to God but to our fellow human beings and unborn generations,” he said.

 Rev. Nimo was speaking at the eighth Synod of the Ashanti Presbytery of the church in Kumasi last week.

This year's synod was on the theme: "Breaking new grounds revisited”.

Rev. Nimo said the church's support for the fight against galamsey stemmed from an injunction in the Bible on human beings to behave responsibly towards the environment.

He called on all stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political leaders and the security agencies to back the government to stop illegal mining in the country.

He congratulated the President on the bold decision he had taken, even at the peril of his political career, noting that if the government was successful, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr John Peter Amewu, would be remembered.

Rev. Nimo also expressed concern over the spirit of patriotism and voluntarism which were fast eroding in the country, as people preferred instant reward for service rendered.

"Our societies are becoming morally permissive. The virtues of moral chastity, decency and modesty, even in the way we dress, are not cherished any longer," he said.

He urged Ghanaians “to revisit old values and norms in our culture as a means to mould society.”

Women

The Moderator urged the various district and municipal assemblies in the country to make the welfare of women a top priority.

He bemoaned the conditions under which women sat in spaces along the streets, on pavements under the scorching sun and in the rain to sell.

He said many of such female traders also traded along gutters that gave off stench and, the women were also vulnerable to motor accidents.

He, therefore, urged the government to endeavour to address the issue as soon as possible and give female traders decent places to sell.