Former Kumasi Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church-Ghana, Rt. Rev. Prof. Osei Sarfo-Kantanka, has said that radical illegal mining, known as galamsey, demands a radical approach to save Ghana’s environment and unborn generations from the menace.
Eulogising the fallen victims of the helicopter crash at Adansi Sikaman last week, the Methodist Prelate expressed deep concern about the key personalities who died while on a mission to address the galamsey situation in Ghana.
He subsequently urged President John Dramani Mahama to confront galamsey head-on, especially after losing eight prominent Ghanaians, including Ministers of State.
“It is sad to hear about their demise. I am using this channel to say that if President Mahama is not going to be angry enough, nothing will change. The whole thing is that radical problems demand radical solutions.
“If we are to tackle galamsey and environmental destruction, a radical problem that has existed with us for a long time, then radical action is required,” he said.
Bishop Sarfo-Kantanka, who has preached about how negative emotions can bring about transformational change, drew inspiration from Christian literature such as Christ the Controversialist and John Wesley The Radical, authored by John Stuart and Michael J. Gorman respectively.
He noted, “We all agree that the antecedents unfolding, which have led to the demise of eight very important personalities in our lives, is reason enough to be angry for change. And that is exactly what we are experiencing.”
The distinguished and vocal Theologian bemoaned that Ghanaians are not angry enough to end the galamsey menace.
“We are not angry enough to bring about change in the governance system of our country that will propel our development as a nation,” Rt. Rev. Prof. Osei Sarfo-Kantanka said, when he preached on Kessben FM in Kumasi over the weekend.
Reflecting on the past, he recalled that former President Akufo-Addo had said he was prepared to put his presidency on the line to stop galamsey, yet no significant action happened until his term ended, and questioned the fate of John Mahama’s resolve.
“I do not know what President Mahama’s resolve is. He has lost eight of his prominent men because of galamsey. When we read the Bible, I have preached about galamsey and talked about Saul.
“The Bible says that when the Amorites threatened the people of Jabesh Gilead, Saul was angry, and the Holy Spirit came upon him in power,” the Bishop said. He prayed for President Mahama to “man up” and confront the existential threat confronting Ghanaians.
“My prayer is that President Mahama will be angry enough, for the Holy Spirit is waiting to empower him to do what is radical to solve this galamsey problem. Otherwise, the Minister of Defence, Minister of Environment and the other six victims would have died in vain. May God help us.”
Recalling a recent speech by former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, who delivered a keynote address at GHAFES, a day after the air crash, the Bishop highlighted two important statements made by the renowned heart surgeon: “Any government that is serious about stopping galamsey can do it.”
