A government appointee has issued a sharp public warning to the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, telling him to avoid making what she described as political statements under the guise of religious commentary, after he raised concerns about illegal mining destroying water bodies used for baptism.
Dr. Mary Awusi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, directed her remarks at Apostle Eric Nyamekye following his address at the Church’s 48th General Conference on April 22, where he disclosed that pollution from illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, had forced several Church districts to abandon traditional river baptisms and resort to synthetic rubber pools.
Speaking on Accra-based Accra FM, Dr. Awusi acknowledged Nyamekye’s religious standing but drew a clear line, warning that any future political commentary from him would be treated as such.
“He is a man of God, so we will forgive him, but next time he shouldn’t come so low to that level. Next time, when he stoops so low and tries to do politics, they will deal with him as a politician. I’ve shown him respect this time as a man of God, but he should know that the statement he made is a highly political statement,” she said.
Dr. Awusi questioned why the Pentecost Chairman had not spoken with equal force about galamsey under the previous administration, suggesting his remarks were timed to embarrass the current government.
“When Nana Addo was President, if you went to the mining communities, the rivers were like mud. At that time, was he in Ghana or wasn’t he in Ghana? Did he see that or did he not see how the rivers were then?” she asked.
She added: “So as a pastor, if the truth is there and you wouldn’t say it, and instead put aside your pastoral duties and put on a political lens to talk, then next time we will treat him as a politician.”
Apostle Nyamekye’s remarks at the conference had drawn wide attention. He warned that environmental degradation from galamsey is not only disrupting core church practices but also threatening the livelihoods of church members dependent on agriculture and fishing, describing the destruction of water bodies as a direct challenge to communities across Ghana’s mining belt.
