Pastor calls for national debate on galamsey menace
Reverend Nicolas Baah Boison, Assemblies of God Church of Ghana in Charge of Agona Nyakrom and Agona Nkum district has called for a national debate on the galamsey menace.
The debate he said would decide on either to ban it or reduce it to the barest minimum to reclaim the economy and reduce environment pollution.
According to Rev Boison, his heartfelt and humble appeal during the celebration of Easter to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was to ensure that the debate was done in Parliament without political emotions.
Rev Boison made the call when he addressed the Media on Sunday to end the five-day Easter Convention organised by the Agona Swedru District of Assemblies of God Church at Agona Nyakrom.
He said apart from Parliament, farmers, land owners, Chiefs, Civil servants, businessmen, clergy and other civil society organisations could also organise debates to decide on whether to ban galamsey or not.
The District Pastor commended the Media for excellent initiatives taken to fight against the menace of galamsey and appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo to give Media organisations maximum support to achieve their aims and objectives.
According to Rev Boison the clergy would continue to pray unceasingly for President Nana Akufo-Addo to muster the political will to make a final decision to save rivers and water bodies from devastation and pollution.
Rev Boison said recent research conducted by Agricultural Minister indicated that agriculture could fetch the nation huge amount of money than even the mining sector, adding that immediate steps must be taken to reduce the menace.
He said it regretted that many people in the Galamsey areas could not have access to clean and drinkable water due to dangerous chemicals they used.
Rev Boison called on the political, clergy and other leaders in the country to avoid corruption, saying ‘corruption is dangerous and will retard economic progress.’
He stated that government under President Akufo-Addo should encourage the efforts of Agricultural Minister to take bold steps to revamp the sector to attract many especially the youth go into farming.
He said as Ghanaians and other part of the world were celebrating Easter, they should endeavour to leave behind some of the vices such as; cheating, stealing and greed.
Source: GNA