The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, has urged President John Dramani Mahama and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to stop repeatedly referencing the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government over illegal mining and focus on fulfilling their promise to end the menace.
Speaking at the opening of the Methodist Church Ghana’s 52nd Conference 2026, Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu said Ghanaians voted for change because they were dissatisfied with how the galamsey crisis was handled under the previous administration.
“If we were voting for you to tell us NPP didn’t end Galamsey, we could have just kept NPP in office,” he said.
“We voted for you because we didn’t like what we saw NPP do with Galamsey, so fix the problem as you promised and stop referencing the NPP,” the Methodist Church leader told the NDC and President Mahama.
The Methodist Church of Ghana has called for renewed and decisive efforts to tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, warning that the destruction of farmlands and pollution of water bodies pose a serious threat to the country.
Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu said religious leaders must also play a more active role in confronting the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.
According to him, the recent devastating floods experienced in parts of the country have exposed weaknesses in the understanding of Christians regarding their responsibility to protect the environment.
“The recent, devastating deluge in the country exposed the inadequate conception of Christian stewardship and responsibility that we have worked with,” he said.
The Presiding Bishop’s comments add to growing calls for stronger action against illegal mining, which has continued to destroy forests and farmlands and pollute major rivers and other water bodies across Ghana.
He stressed the need for collective responsibility, particularly from political leaders, religious institutions and citizens, to protect the environment and address the galamsey menace before the damage becomes irreversible.
