Ejura: The Ghana Baptist Convention has raised alarms over the widespread environmental damage caused by illegal mining, emphasizing the significant threat it poses to the lives and well-being of Ghanaians.
According to Ghana News Agency, Rev. Dr. Charles Owusu Ampofo, President of the Baptist Ministers’ Conference, has called upon authorities and relevant stakeholders to take immediate and decisive action to address the existential threat facing citizens and the country’s natural resources. Speaking during the 62nd Ghana Baptist Convention Ministers’ Conference at the Baptist Women’s Retreat and Resource Centre in Ejura, Rev. Ampofo highlighted the peril to Ghanaian lives for the financial benefit of a few individuals.
The four-day conference, themed ‘Ministers: Pressing Forward, Finishing Strong,’ is intended to provide church ministers with an opportunity for reflection, spiritual renewal, and a recommitment to their pastoral duties. Rev. Ampofo condemned the environmental degradation occurring under the guise of mining and urged moral leaders in society to oppose this destruction.
He stressed that while economic hardships are present, they do not justify reckless exploitation of the environment. Rev. Ampofo stated that such practices are unsustainable and deprive future generations of their heritage, advocating responsible and sustainable livelihoods from environmental resources.
He underscored the divine accountability for environmental management, recounting troubling situations in some villages where residents rely on sachet water due to severe pollution of natural water sources. He described this as a ‘crime against humanity.’
Rev. Ampofo warned that ongoing environmental damage tarnishes Ghana’s international reputation. He acknowledged job scarcity but insisted it does not warrant destroying the environment, urging preservation for future generations.
