Emeritus Bishop of the Konongo-Mampong Diocese of the Catholic Church, Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, has issued a warning about the catastrophic effects of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, September 20, 2025, the cleric cautioned that prioritising economic gains from gold exports over the preservation of water bodies and arable land could render Ghana uninhabitable.

“Ghana is at war. We are not at war with Togo, the Ivory Coast, or Burkina Faso. We are at war with galamsey. And if we don’t take care, a time will come when we will get plenty of gold exports, but then there will be no water to drink. And Ghana will cease to exist,” he warned.

Most Reverend Osei-Bonsu criticised the focus on revenue at the expense of environmental sustainability, questioning its long-term value.

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“At the end of the day, when you get all this gold, will you be able to eat it? Will you be able to drink it? You need water to drink. You need good water for all kinds of things. And so the President should listen to all these groups that are speaking,” he stated.

The bishop emphasised that the fight against galamsey must transcend partisan politics into a unified action for the nation’s welfare.

“The right thing should be done. Whether it’s an NDC government or an NPP government, Ghana comes first. Our welfare comes first. And so whatever needs to be done should be done,” he added.

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His comments follow recent calls from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and other civil society groups for decisive measures, including a proposed state of emergency, to curb the environmental devastation caused by galamsey.

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