The General Overseer of the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry (CEM), Rev. Dr. Steve Mensah, has delivered a searing condemnation of illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, describing it as “mass murder” and calling on divine intervention against those involved.
In a fiery sermon delivered in Accra, the renowned pastor lamented the destruction of Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves, blaming both local and foreign actors – including politicians, traditional leaders, and security forces – for what he called an “act of genocide” against the people of Ghana.
Rev. Mensah minced no words in his prayer, asking for divine retribution against those perpetuating the environmental crisis for personal gain.
“Those for the greed of money for themselves and their families doing galamsey, may God kill all of them.”
“These people are committing genocide, poisoning our waters, and we are looking on and playing politics around it. It is evil. It is barbaric,” he declared.
The pastor expressed outrage at reports of harmful chemicals like mercury being found in the blood of children living near mining sites, pointing to long-term health consequences including cancer and limb deformities.
Rev. Mensah described the widespread contamination as tantamount to mass killing stating, “Our waters have become Milo. It is mass murder. This is stupidity and nonsensical. The water may look clear, but when taken to the lab, chemicals are discovered. And yet we drink it, thinking it’s safe,” he fumed.
The Man of God blamed both current and past governments, accusing officials of complicity or negligence in enforcing anti-galamsey laws.
“We have the army. We have the military. And we can’t enter the forest and arrest these people? It means that we ourselves, we are inside, and we have interest, and we are lining our pockets,” he declared.
Rev. Mensah expressed frustration at the impunity with which some foreign nationals, particularly Chinese nationals, allegedly operate illegal mining sites, sometimes with armed security and protection.
A few hundreds and thousands of people, he said, are killing the entire 33 million of the Ghanaian population and questioned, “Can you go to China and mine in their forest or river? What kind of people are we? It shows the weakness of our system.”
Despite being a man of God, Rev. Mensah said he could no longer stay silent as the country’s natural resources are plundered.
“I’m a pastor. I’m preaching. The best I can do is what I’m saying. This is genocide. It is killing our children, and it must be stopped. And it must be stopped now.”
He called on the government to take decisive action by arresting and deporting foreign nationals involved in illegal mining and holding accountable all Ghanaians aiding the destruction.
“Any politician, any chief, anybody in our water bodies and polluting because of the money for their pocket – may God kill them first,” he declared.
The illegal mining menace has long plagued Ghana, leading to the pollution of major water bodies, loss of forest cover, and health crises in mining communities. While government task forces and campaigns have been launched over the years, enforcement has been weak and inconsistent.