Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams has called for a combination of spiritual intervention and firm law enforcement to tackle illegal mining, insisting that his appeal for prayers against galamsey should not be seen as a substitute for state action.
The General Overseer of Action Chapel International said the government, security agencies and other institutions must continue enforcing Ghana’s laws against illegal mining and gold smuggling, while the church and citizens support the effort through prayer.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, August 17, 2026, the Archbishop said his role was not to enforce the law but to draw attention to what he considers the spiritual dimension of the galamsey crisis.
“The aspect of the prayer is the fact that some of these people doing illegal mining are working with powers from the other side. So my job is not to police or enforce the law. That is not what I do,” he said.
Archbishop Duncan-Williams stressed that he was not advocating leniency towards illegal miners and those involved in the illicit gold trade.
“So I am not saying that the law shouldn’t be applied,” he said, adding that prayers were also needed for those tasked with enforcing the law because of the risks associated with their work.
He alleged that some illegal mining groups were armed and operated as organised networks, potentially exposing security personnel to serious danger during enforcement operations.
The Archbishop also raised concerns about foreign interests in Ghana’s gold trade, recounting instances in which foreign nationals had contacted him seeking assistance to connect with the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) after losing access to previous channels for purchasing gold.
He said the encounters had strengthened his concerns about the interests surrounding Ghana’s gold resources, although he made clear that he was not involved in the gold business.
“I am a man of God. I don’t do gold business,” he said.
Beyond galamsey, Archbishop Duncan-Williams argued that Ghana’s challenges with illegal mining were part of a broader problem of indiscipline and weak compliance with laws.
He cited his observations in Kigali, Rwanda, where he said road users generally complied with safety regulations, including helmet requirements for motorcycle riders.
According to him, Ghana has laws covering many aspects of public life, but inconsistent enforcement and a culture of indiscipline continue to undermine their effectiveness.
He therefore urged Ghanaians to treat the fight against galamsey as a collective national responsibility rather than a matter to be left solely to government.
He called for prayers for President John Mahama, GoldBod officials, the military, national security and the police, particularly those directly involved in operations against illegal mining.
The Archbishop said the objective should ultimately be to protect Ghana’s natural resources, promote responsible mining and strengthen accountability, while ensuring that those enforcing the law receive the protection and support needed to carry out their duties.
