Sir Sam Jonah, Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital Equity Fund, has expressed worry about the silence of journalists over illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey”.
He expressed disappointment about how the media had been largely unconcerned about the abuse of rights of millions of Ghanaians whose livelihoods had been destroyed by galamsey operations.
“Galamsey doesn’t make the headlines anymore and yet the country is experiencing the ravages of this terrible phenomenon every day.
“The alarming increase in children born with deformities, the epidemic of kidney and liver diseases, and the alarming infant mortality rates in the areas affected by galamsey activities appear not to merit your sustained concern. What a shame, what a pity!” Sir Jonah said.
Sir Jonah was delivering the keynote address in Accra on Wednesday at the launch of the 75th anniversary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on the theme: “75 years of excellence in journalism: Honouring the past, embracing the present, shaping the future”.
Speaking to journalists, he said: “I don’t know whether you are exhausted and indeed frustrated by the shameful lack of decisive action from the authorities to your interventions. All I know is that your Association’s pen which is your weapon has gone eerily silent on this all important matter.”
He charged journalists to reignite the passion and make a more concerted and sustained effort to eliminate the galamsey menace.
Sir Jonah reminded journalists of their purpose, power and responsibility in society, stressing that, “The price of the continued silence is too grave to fathom.”
He called the attention of journalists to Dr Ephraim Amu’s composition, “Yen Ara Asase Ni,” emphasising the need to champion the ideals of patriotism, responsible stewardship, and unity.
