Also known as: Free Zones Authority
Government organization led by CEO Mary Awusi; involved in controversy over remarks on illegal mining and church concerns in April 2026.
The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost has appealed for calm and reconciliation following public uproar over remarks by the CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, Mavis Awusi, which were made in response to church concerns about environmental damage from illegal mining. Apostle Nyamekye said he harbours no ill feelings and urged Ghanaians to move on from the issue.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost has appealed for calm and reconciliation following public uproar over remarks by the CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, Mavis Awusi, which were made in response to church concerns about environmental damage from illegal mining. Apostle Nyamekye said he harbours no ill feelings and urged Ghanaians to move on from the issue.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Reverend Professor Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has rejected attempts to intimidate religious leaders for criticising illegal mining (galamsey), following warnings from the Ghana Free Zones Authority CEO that Apostle Eric Nyamekye would be "dealt with" if he continued highlighting environmental destruction. Mante insists the church will continue to condemn wrongdoing regardless of political considerations.
27 April 2026 · Joy Online →
The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has forgiven the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, Dr Mary Awusi, following a public controversy over her comments attacking his remarks about illegal mining's damage to church baptism sites. The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, publicly apologised on behalf of Dr Awusi at a church service, after which Apostle Nyamekye said he bore no ill will and believed the incident had drawn positive attention to the church.
26 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, has forgiven Dr Mary Awusi, CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, following a public dispute over comments on illegal mining. The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, apologized on behalf of Dr Awusi at a church service, and Apostle Nyamekye stated he bore no ill will and had forgiven her.
26 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Julius Debrah, the Chief of Staff, has publicly apologised to the Church of Pentecost leadership for comments made by Ghana Free Zones Authority CEO Mary Awusi that were perceived as critical of the church. Debrah characterised the remarks as a "slip of expression" and asked the church for forgiveness during his birthday thanksgiving service.
26 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah made an emotional appeal for forgiveness from the Church of Pentecost on behalf of the government, saying remarks attributed to the CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority were not intended to offend. Debrah, alongside President Mahama and Vice President Opoku-Agyemang, made the appeal during a visit to the Pentecost International Worship Centre on Sunday.
26 April 2026 · Joy Online →
A former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana has called on citizens to oppose illegal mining on moral and national grounds rather than along partisan lines, stressing that the galamsey menace should not become a tool for political point-scoring.
26 April 2026 · Joy Online →
A former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, has condemned illegal mining and declared that religious leaders will continue speaking against galamsey regardless of intimidation or partisan pressure, following a recent controversy in which a government CEO publicly criticised a church leader for anti-galamsey comments.
26 April 2026 · Joy Online →
A former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Prof Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, has delivered a forceful condemnation of illegal mining and warned that religious leaders would continue to speak out against galamsey regardless of intimidation or partisan pressure. His remarks follow a recent controversy in which the CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority publicly criticised the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost over comments condemning illegal mining, before issuing an apology.
26 April 2026 · Joy Online →
Abirem MP Charles Owiredu has criticised the CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority for her comments targeting the Church of Pentecost Chairman, saying she should have been dismissed. This follows the Pentecost leader's remarks about galamsey disrupting baptism practices in rivers, to which the CEO responded by telling him to stay in his clerical lane, though she later apologised.
25 April 2026 · Joy Online →