Environmental advocates condemn violence against media team investigating illegal mining activities

A coalition of environmental and human rights organizations have strongly condemned the recent violent attacks on a media team investigating illegal mining activities in the Asenanyo Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.

The team, which included journalist Erastus Asare Donkor, camera technician Nicholas Suantah, drone pilot Majid Alidu, and driver Edward Arko, was brutally assaulted on October 21, 2024, by armed men allegedly working for Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited.

The journalists were documenting the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining operations, which have resulted in polluted water sources, destroyed farmlands, and damaged restored forests.

While gathering evidence, the team was accosted by over ten armed men, who beat and threatened them, confiscated their equipment, and stole personal belongings.

Despite the involvement of local police, the attackers have yet to be apprehended, raising concerns about the apparent impunity enjoyed by those engaged in illegal mining.

According to the Minerals Commission, Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited does not have a valid mining lease in Ghana, further emphasizing the illegal nature of the company’s operations.

In a statement jointly signed by Seth Appiah-Kubi, A Rocha Ghana on behalf of the coalition, the organizations denounced the lack of government action and the increasing violence against those defending Ghana’s environment.

"This attack represents yet another vicious example of the escalating impunity with which community members, journalists, and social activists are targeted for standing up to illegalities and human rights violations," the statement said.

The coalition called for immediate and decisive action from law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to justice and demanded stronger protections for environmental defenders.

"It is unacceptable that those who commit violence against citizens who are committed to securing the environment are allowed to continue their actions unchallenged," they added.

The statement urged the Ghanaian government to enforce legal frameworks to deter future attacks and ensure the safety of individuals fighting to protect the country’s natural resources.

"This attack must not silence the voices that speak for the environment and defend people’s rights," the statement concluded.

The signatories also called on the public to stand with them in condemning these violent acts and holding those responsible accountable, emphasizing that the protection of forests, rivers, and ecosystems is a collective responsibility.