Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Environmental destruction in Ghana appeared to be the hottest of the political issues
in the run-up to the 2024 General Elections. The study sought to unravel the possible
factors militating against Ghana’s efforts in the fight against environmental
destruction. It also postulates certain intentional and coordinated activities that the
religious bodies in Ghana can undertake in contributing to salvaging the ecological
crisis. Using the qualitative method, and a purposive sampling technique, some
players in the environmental economy such as individuals, traditional leaders,
religious leaders, and government officials were interviewed. In addition, for firsthand information, efforts were made to visit some Akan communities to observe
how the people behave toward their environment. This paper argues that the
ecological narrative in Akan communities has changed chiefly because of social
conflicts, engineered by factors such as the basic needs of humans, politicization,
desacralization, materialism, economics, “development,” culture, chieftaincy,
international relations, tenancy, religion, civil action and many more. However,
Akan religious people to whom this paper has pointed fingers as part of the problem,
have what it takes to contribute to salvaging the environmental crisis in Ghana. The
paper recommends that religious bodies engage in the intensification of ecological
conversation and building ecological congregations by employing eco-pedagogy
and making investments in environmental protection ventures in Ghana.
Keywords: Environmental Flippancies, Galamsey, Political Ecology, Akan
Communities.
