Dr. Mary Awusi, the chief executive officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, has responded sharply to Apostle Dr. Eric Nyamekye, the chairman of the Church of Pentecost, cautioning that any further public remarks regarding illegal mining (galamsey) could be interpreted as political statements.
In an interview with Accra FM on Thursday, April 23, 2026, Dr. Awusi stated that although she originally refrained out of deference to his religious authority, she would not do so in the future if similar comments were made.
“He’s a man of God, so we’ll forgive him. But next time, he shouldn’t stoop so low to that level. I am telling him. If he descends to that level to behave like a politician, we will deal with him as a politician. I’ve given him reverence because he’s a man of God and the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost,” she said.
Her comments are in reaction to Apostle Nyamekye’s recent remarks regarding galamsey, in which he expressed worries about its effects on society and the environment.
During the State of the Church Address during the Church’s 48th General Conference, he emphasised how illegal mining still contaminates waterways and interferes with sacred rituals.
“The extensive pollution of water bodies due to illegal mining has hampered traditional water baptism in some mining communities, necessitating a shift to synthetic rubber pools in several districts to carry out the ordinance. These unpredictable environmental conditions, along with the seasonal migration of fish stocks, continue to impact the steady financial growth and stability of affected local assemblies.”
Dr. Awusi underlined that criticism on politically sensitive national problems, like galamsey, must be treated cautiously, even as he acknowledged the impact of religious leaders.
Source: newsthemegh.com