The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, Mary Awusi, has issued a sharp rebuke to the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Eric Nyamekye, over his recent public comments on illegal mining, warning that future interventions could be treated as political.
Speaking in an interview on Accra FM on Thursday, Awusi said she had initially restrained her response out of respect for Nyamekye’s religious office but would not hesitate to respond more forcefully if similar comments recur.
“He’s a man of God, so we’ll forgive him. But next time, he shouldn’t stoop so low to that level,” she said. “If he descends to that level to behave like a politician, we will deal with him as a politician.”
Her remarks follow comments by Nyamekye during the Church’s 48th General Conference, where he raised concerns about the environmental and social impact of illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.
In his State of the Church Address, the Pentecost Chairman warned that pollution of water bodies was affecting religious practices, particularly baptism in some mining communities.
“The extensive pollution of water bodies due to illegal mining has hampered traditional water baptism in some mining communities,” Nyamekye said, noting that some congregations have resorted to using artificial pools to conduct the rite.
He added that environmental degradation and related disruptions were also affecting livelihoods and the financial stability of local church assemblies.
Awusi, however, maintained that while religious leaders play an important role in public discourse, they must exercise caution when commenting on issues with political implications.
When a host described Nyamekye as an anointed man of God, Awusi dismissed the characterisation in relation to his remarks.
“It’s not about anointing. If he were that anointed, he wouldn’t speak in this manner,” she said.
The exchange underscores growing tensions in Ghana’s public debate over galamsey, an issue that has drawn increasing concern from civil society, religious groups and policymakers over its environmental and economic impact.
