Four journalists who were involved in the recent accident while covering an official assignment with the Environmental Protection Authority have been discharged from the hospital.
In a statement from the Ashanti regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association, it revealed the four are recovering steadily while one other remains hospitalized after sustaining injury to the thigh.
The statement signed by regional Chair, Kofi Adu Domfeh, noted: “Ibrahim Abubakar (TV3/Akoma FM), Doris Lonta (Channel 1 TV), Nana Yaw Gyimah (Luv FM/JoyNews), and Joseph Obeng (Nhyira FM/Adom News) are doing well”.
Akwasi Adomako, a Camera Technician with JoyNews, has undergone a successful surgery on his right thigh on Saturday 9th November and is currently in recovery at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
“We continue to wish him a speedy and full recovery,” the statement read.
The team of journalists were returning from an anti-galamsey raid in Dadwene and its environs with officials of the EPA when the vehicle they were traveling in rammed into an oncoming vehicle at Afari in the Atwima Nwabiagya district of the Ashanti region.
The GJA expressed profound appreciation to journalists across the country, members of the public, and particularly the EPA, for their solidarity, care, and cooperation during the challenging period.
The regional branch of the association admonished journalists to prioritize their safety and security in the discharge of their duties, particularly in the coverage of stories pertaining to illegal mining.
According to the association, its field monitoring confirms many illegal mining sites in the Ashanti region are volatile.
“As we collectively pursue environmental protection and public interest journalism, we must also prioritize our own safety and security in the line of duty. Covering illegal mining (galamsey) operations poses significant risks. Our field monitoring confirms that many of these sites in the Ashanti Region are volatile, with illegal miners often armed and prone to violence against anyone perceived as a threat to their activities,” the statement said.
It continued that: “We therefore urge journalists to always assess and clarify the level of risk before undertaking such assignments, including those in collaboration with anti-galamsey taskforces. It is imperative that adequate security and safety measures are guaranteed before venturing into high-risk zones”.
It concluded that journalist must remain vigilant, demand protection, and protect their lives to continue telling the stories that matter.
Source: Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe