Why GJA must name Illegal Mining Reporter Award after Erastus Asare Donkor

I humbly suggest that the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Illegal Mining Reporter of the Year Award be renamed: "The Erastus Asare Donkor Illegal Mining Reporter of The Year".

This young man stood up for Ghana in the face of all threats. He could have taken money from galamsayers to shut up like many Ghanaian journalists would do. He could have been a media or communication consultant to some of these mining companies. He chose not to.

Even soldiers took money to protect foreign galamseyers to destroy our land, forests and water bodies to kill us all. These are people trained and employed to protect the nation.

I viewed Erastus' report in which, somebody reported as John Boadu, Former New Patriotic Party, NPP General Secretary's driver gave security men GHC40,000 that they should use it for water and food when the security enterered a forest they were destroying in search for gold.

How far did that case go and where is that money? Perhaps, the security men who we do not pay salaries used it for foreign food and water so that they do not catch cancer from drinking from the galamsey destroyed water bodies.

Erastus Asare Donkor has done his best for Ghana with regards to the fight against galamsey. May Posterity remind and reward him beyond this Awards. Ken Asigbe and his Media Coalition Against Galamsey have done their best for Ghana.

But, the ruling NPP government, our traditional leaders, parliament, the judiciary, Ghana Army and other security services, etc failed to stand up to fulfil the oaths of their offices and patriotically protect Ghana and her resources.

Many educated citizens stupidly focused on our senseless polarity; they were more concerned about the common fact that it is not only the NPP that has failed Ghana, they were more concerned about how long galamasey has been with us, you were more concerned about how everybody was guilty.

They never stood up even on their social media pages to speak up, at least, and call on leadership across the nation to rise to duty, because, they are too loyal to their party than to the nation.

They are afraid of being called yaanom by senseless unpatriotic party loyalists. They want to be loved and admired by criminals who never cared about the future of our children, so, they would rather be neutral in the face of the growing insanity.

Some have been given Board position, public contracts and other gigs, etc. So, they dared not hold our highly irresponsible leadership accountable after President Akufo-Addo claimed he did not mind putting his job on the line to stop galamsey. With all their education, they do not even know that the president made that statement because he appreciated the gravity of the situation.

The mad growth of the galamasey menance to unthinkable levels under this Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration has not only revealed their irresponsibility but the powerlessness of our chiefs and other traditional leaders, religious leaders, etc.

It has revealed who and what we truly are as a people. As a people, we are not refined than the raw materials we are supposed to refine and use for our collective good.

We are just like the trees, the river bodies, the minerals in the land, etc. We are rich but poor in thinking, poor in patriotism, greedy and senseless regardless of our degrees, titles and positions.

When the next uprising starts, remember that we all are part of the cause. We are too stupid for nature to give us such great treasures that we are wasting.

Stop beating your chests, ye dead bodies, and rise up and walk to our collective responsiblility with greater commitment.

Galamsey alone should get Bawumia led NPP voted out.

They have not shown leadership at all. And, they must be held accountable. No matter how long the phenomenon has been with us or who are involved, it is the responsibility of leadership to solve problems or faciliate their solution search. No excuses!!! They have failed abysmally.