The General Overseer of the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry, Rev Steve Mensah, has called on the government to deploy the military to illegal mining (galamsey) sites to help stop the destruction of the country’s water bodies.

In a viral post on X on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Rev Mensah criticised the government for keeping armoured vehicles in the barracks while illegal mining continues to devastate the environment.

He said the same armoured cars displayed during national events, such as Independence Day, could be used to create a strong military presence at galamsey sites to deter illegal miners.

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"We just display armoured cars on Independence Day and go and park them at the barracks. Why don’t you move those tankers to the galamsey sites and create a military presence? These people have been trained to survive in the jungle. Let them live there for six months. Galamsey will stop," he said.

Rev Mensah warned that the continuous pollution of rivers by illegal mining activities poses a grave threat to public health and the country’s water supply.

"Our waters are being poisoned. Every day we are dying of poisonous water and spending millions to treat it. Very soon, even the kontomire your wife serves you will contain chemicals," he cautioned.

He described illegal mining as a “war” that threatens the lives of over 33 million Ghanaians and called for urgent and decisive military intervention.

"When was the last time Ghana went to war? There is war against galamsey. People are killing citizens; 33 million lives are at risk. Move the tankers there and keep the army at all galamsey sites for six months," he stated.

Rev Mensah also expressed concern over the involvement of some foreign nationals, particularly Chinese miners, in illegal mining activities, alleging that some carry weapons and exploit local communities.

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He urged the government to suspend all forms of mining temporarily to allow water bodies to recover and to restructure the sector to ensure responsible mining practices.

"We have the capacity to stop it. Move the military, move the tankers to all the galamsey sites and stop all forms of mining now so that our waters can return," he appealed.

Watch the video below

“Deploy the military to Galamsey sites for six months and Galamsey will end”

—Rev. Dr. Steve Mensah has called for an all out war against illegal mining in the country, reiterating that Ghana’s military force is capable of ending the menace. pic.twitter.com/ZOWz9IKCGj

— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) November 12, 2025