By Godfred Amoaful
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour has called on the media to resume its campaign against illegal mining locally known as “Galamsey”.
The President made the remark during the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day 2024 in Koforidua.
Hammering on the impact of the galamsey menace on environment, the GJA President noted that, the media’s collective action in the fight against galamsey showed signs of recovery from the destruction the act has had on Ghana’s environment.
He said, the media’s effort which brought to the attention of the duty bearers, how deteriorating the environment has been and the destruction galamsey had caused water bodies and other natural resource to combat the act but for the retrogression of action by the duty bearers, Ghana’s water bodies and lands would have been saved from the destruction of galamseyers.
This years’ national theme for the World Press Freedom highlights on Leveraging Journalism For a Sustainable Environment and Future, calls for the need for a collaborative effort from both the media and duty bearers to curb the menace and save the environment.
He said notwithstanding the lack of commitment from the duty bearers to deal with the canker, the media must not give up on its campaign against the improper mining act that is affecting the society, adding that, the media must be reminded of their role as the keepers of the society, and must ensure that sanity is restored through their relentless effort against illegal mining- galamsey.
“The GJA further calls on the media to focus and address other environmental issues such as sanitation and climate change,” he said.
The President further stated that, the GJA will “soon announce a comprehensive agenda on this environmental concerns. We have started discussions in some key institutions for collaboration to undertake this initiative”, he noted.
The President emphasized that, “our survival as a nation is dependent on the environment, which includes plants, animals, water bodies, and other natural resource, and we must do everything humanly possible to protect them”.
He called on all stakeholders to be onboard to fight the galamsey canker affecting the society.
