Galamsey pollution forces Church of Pentecost to halt river baptisms - Apostle Eric Nyamekye

Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, has expressed concerns about the continued destruction of Ghana's water bodies due to illegal mining, also known as galamsey.

In his State of the Church Address at the 48th General Conference on Wednesday, April 22, he emphasized the severe impact of river and stream pollution on key church practices, including water baptism in affected mining communities.

"The extensive pollution of water bodies resulting from illegal mining has disrupted traditional water baptism in some mining communities, necessitating the use of synthetic rubber pools in several districts to perform the ordinance," he stated.

Apostle Nyamekye also warned that environmental degradation is increasingly undermining the livelihoods of church members, particularly those engaged in agriculture and fishing.

He noted that erratic rainfall patterns, declining cocoa yields, and the seasonal migration of fish stocks are destabilizing local economies and affecting the financial stability of church assemblies.

"These unpredictable environmental conditions, combined with the seasonal migration of fish stocks, continue to impact the steady financial growth and stability of affected local assemblies," he said.

Despite these challenges, he stressed that the Church is expanding its social and evangelistic impact.

By the end of 2025, the Church of Pentecost had established skills development centers in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region and Essam in the Western North Region, providing vocational training to young people.

Moreover, the Church has supported master craftsmen in training apprentices as part of efforts to address unemployment.

The Church has also initiated, completed, and handed over several health facilities, prison camps, and other infrastructure projects to the state as part of its broader social interventions.