Sanctity of the Earth: A Religiocentric Approach to Dealing with the Galamsey Menace in Ghana
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The phenomenon of galamsey (illegal mining) poses a serious threat to Ghana’s environment and socio-economic sustainability, despite its perceived economic benefits. While governmental and non-governmental interventions have sought to curb this practice, they often overlook the potential influence of religion in promoting environmental stewardship. This paper advocates for a religiocentric approach to combat the destructive effects of galamsey, acknowledging that most Ghanaians, including those engaged in galamsey, are affiliated with religious traditions. It draws on the ecological ethics embedded in Christianity, Islam, and African Traditional Religions to demonstrate how these faiths uphold the sanctity of the earth and hence, can provide a moral framework for sustainable environmental practices. Using qualitative and textual analysis, the paper emphasizes how, when effectively communicated and integrated with public policy and socio-economic strategies, religious teachings can mobilize communities towards preserving Ghana’s ecological integrity. This study contributes to existing knowledge by its integration of religious ethics into sustainability strategies to provide a novel interdisciplinary framework for tackling illegal mining in Ghana.
DOI: 10.63811/1a9fne93
Authors: Ebenezer Quaye, Kenneth Oppong
Institution: Valley View University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4410637150