AFRICA/GHANA – Dozens dead in illegal mine. Bishops propose state of emergency to combat the phenomenon

Accra – Three illegal miners have died of asphyxiation after being trapped in a tunnel in Ghana. The three men were part of a group of “galamseyers” who had secretly entered the inactive section of the Prestea mining concession, managed by the company Heath Goldfields Ltd., in the western region of the country.
These are the only confirmed victims, as, according to the Ghanaian press, there could be between 11 and 30 illegal miners trapped and presumed dead after parts of the abandoned mine collapsed over the weekend. The causes of death for these individuals are still unknown, but it is suspected that the “galamseyers” used explosives to blow up a wall of the mine, causing the release of lethal gases such as carbon monoxide.
The disaster comes just days after the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference called on the government to declare a state of emergency in the areas most affected by illegal mining activities. The appeal was included in a statement released at the conclusion of the GCBC’s Annual Plenary Assembly, held in Damongo .
In their statement, the bishops affirm that galamsey represents “a profound moral crisis and a spiritual challenge for the nation.” The GCBC cited alarming statistics to highlight the crisis. In 2025 alone, more than 5,252 hectares of forest reserves were destroyed by illegal mining, while 44 of the 288 forest reserves are now classified as degraded. It is estimated that 75% of Ghana’s rivers are polluted, largely due to mercury and cyanide from unregulated mining activities. Therefore, the bishops are calling for urgent measures to address this issue, including swift and impartial prosecution of the perpetrators, regardless of their political affiliation, and the complete rehabilitation of the degraded lands.

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