A Call to Conscience and Commitment: The Noble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshall Stand with the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference on Illegal Mining (Galamsey)
We, the Noble Order of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall, stand in unwavering solidarity with the Ghana Catholic Bishops’
Conference in their courageous and prophetic denunciation of the destructive scourge of illegal mining (Galamsey), that continues to ravage our beloved nation.
As a Catholic fraternal organization committed to justice, responsible stewardship, environmental protection and the dignity of human life, we echo the Bishops’ urgent call to recognize galamsey not merely as an environmental issue, but as a moral, spiritual, and existential crisis. The desecration of our rivers, forests, and farmlands is a betrayal of God’s mandate to mankind, to care for creation. The poisoning of our water bodies, the loss of livelihoods, and the exploitation of vulnerable youth are wounds that cut deep into the soul of our dear nation.
We commend the Bishops for speaking truth to power and for calling all sectors of society: political leaders, chiefs, religious figures, and citizens to repentance, courage, and action. Their call for a state of emergency, a holistic national strategy, and the prosecution of both the powerful and the poor is not only just, but is necessary.
As Catholic Knights, we pledge to:
- Advocate for responsible stewardship of Ghana’s natural resources
- Support education and awareness campaigns in our communities
- Encourage our members to speak out against corruption and environmental injustice
- Pray and act for the healing of our land and the restoration of hope
Let it be known that we choose life over death, justice over silence, and integrity over complicity. We stand with our Bishops, not in fear, but in faith, and we call upon all lay Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ to rise with us in defense of our shared home: Mother Earth.
May the Lord bless our beloved homeland Ghana, and inspire us to be faithful caretakers of His wondrous creation.
Signed:
Sir Kt. Bro. Constantine K.M. Kudzedzi MRL Sis. Irene Smith-Ansah
Supreme Knight Grand Lady
Date: 16th September, 2025