The founder and leader of the United Progressive Party, Akwasi Addai Odike, has criticised members of the clergy in Ghana over what he says is their failure to call out President Akufo-Addo for failing to fight against galamsey. According to Odike, the president is not receptive to criticism while members of the clergy have also failed in their duty to call him out even when the natural environment is being destroyed by the activities of illegal mining. “All these things happening are destroying our nation but you dare not call out Akufo-Addo. But is Akufo-Addo not our labourer? You have all allowed Nana Addo to become the person he is. As for the clergy in Ghana, they fear Nana Addo more than God. The nature that God created is being destroyed and as ambassadors and caretakers of God, you are silent,” he said on Top FM’s Final Point programme. Odike, on various platforms, has accused the president of failing to fight galamsey. Meanwhile, the Christian Council, in a statement dated Monday, October 17, 2022, has called on the government to ban all small-scale mining activities, otherwise known as galamsey. The council has also called for a week of fasting and prayers across the country to seek the forgiveness of God for the destruction caused to the natural environment by galamsey activities. “For many years now, our sovereign country, Ghana, has been witnessing, under our very naked eyes, the saddest "environmental coup d'éta" ever unleashed upon our nation, heralding a programmed and complete "ecological disaster" or destruction. “We are calling for a week of fasting and prayers to pray for change of heart and for God's mercy upon our nation for the destruction we have caused the environment 2. We call for the IMMEDIATE BAN of all small-scale mining. “We have taken notice that many groups or companies hide behind a legal license to wreak havoc in the environment, To that end, we call for an immediate ban on all forms of small-scale mining, whether licensed or not, until a workable and satisfactory mad map has been established to ensure responsible mining in our country,” parts of the statement by the council read. “We call for an immediate national stakeholder's dialogue under the auspices of religious leaders (while the has is in place) to dialogue with all political parties, mining technocrats, the media, traditional leaders and all stakeholders to commit to a non-partisan National Strategy to sustainably deal with this national canker before we sink as a nation. “We call on government to swiftly arrest and prosecute all those involved in galamsey activities in Ghana without fear or favour, to serve as deterrent to others. Those who desire to be rich at the expense of the future of our country should face the full rigors of the law,” it added. Watch the latest episode of #SayItLoud on below: Watch the latest episode of The Lowdown below: GA/BOG