The Knights of St. John International and Ladies’ Auxiliary have called on government to move beyond rhetoric and take bold, concrete steps to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The group appealed directly to President John Dramani Mahama to act on proposals already presented by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, religious leaders, civil society organisations, and academics — including calls for a state of emergency in severely affected areas — rather than relying on continued dialogue.
Their call comes ahead of a scheduled meeting between civil society groups and the President at the Jubilee House to deliberate on illegal mining.
Speaking at the 12th Biennial Supreme Subordinate Convention in Kumasi, the Supreme Subordinate Commandery President of the Knights of St. John International, Major General William Edmund Adjei, stressed that the time for discussions is over.
“Let me be very honest with you, where we have gotten to in the fight against galamsey, it is not talk matter. It is action. And I don’t believe anybody in government does not know what must be done,” he said. “What is important now is action, not talk.”
Major General Adjei emphasized that while advocacy remains important, it must be sustained with consistent pressure until the destruction caused by illegal mining is stopped.
“One thing you must realise is that you don’t stop until the evil stops. Issuing one statement is only the first step. You must continue to put pressure until the evil ends,” he urged.
He lamented the widespread damage to rivers and water bodies across the country, warning that future generations will suffer the consequences if immediate and decisive action is not taken.
Source:Africa Publicity
