Galamsey Thugs Attack Journalist What Happened

Dangerous Environment for Reporters
Illegal mining in Ghana known locally as galamsey has become highly profitable and deeply entrenched, especially in parts of the Ashanti, Western, Central, and Ahafo regions. It’s also extremely violent: armed groups protect mining camps and resist law enforcement, often using machetes, guns and intimidation against both officials and journalists trying to expose environmental harm and criminal networks.

The Attack on Erastus Asare Donkor and Crew
In October 2024, Erastus Asare Donkor, a respected investigative/environmental journalist with Multimedia Group Limited (JoyNews), and three of his team members were violently attacked by armed men while covering illegal mining in Asumenya near Manso Nkran in the Ashanti Region.

According to media reports and statements from his employer and press groups:
More than 10 armed men with pump-action guns ambushed the team at the forest reserve where galamsey activities were underway.
The attackers abducted the journalists, physically assaulted them and deleted footage and material they had recorded.

They were taken to a remote location, beaten, and then abandoned.
Equipment including storage devices, tablets and drone batteries were stolen or wiped, and the journalists sustained injuries during the assault.
This attack was widely condemned by the Multimedia Group, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), and civil society as a direct attempt to silence reporting on environmental destruction and illegal mining networks.

Earlier Assaults Amid Anti-Galamsey Operations
Separate from Donkor’s case, there have been other violent incidents involving journalists covering anti-galamsey activities:
In December 2024, Ohemeng Tawiah, another senior JoyNews journalist, was attacked by a mob of illegal miners while covering a police anti-galamsey operation in the Offin Shelter Belt Forest Reserve (Ashanti Region).
He suffered head and chest injuries, twisted fingers, and multiple cuts after machete and stone attacks by miners resisting arrest and security forces.
The assailants demanded police release their arrested colleagues and delete recordings of their activities.

Why These Attacks Occur
Several factors contribute to these violent incidents:
Illegal miners and their protectors see investigative journalists as a threat to their operations and income.
Galamsey sites are often remote, poorly policed and controlled by armed networks, making it dangerous to report without security backing.
These groups sometimes have political or economic backing, and violence serves to intimidate investigators and law enforcement.

Aftermath & Calls for Justice
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and religious organizations like the Christian Council of Ghana condemned the attacks and urged authorities to arrest and prosecute all those responsible.
Police investigations were reportedly launched, and some suspects in the attacks have been detained, but media bodies insist on swift and thorough prosecution to deter future assaults.

Wider Context
These attacks highlight the growing risk to press freedom and safety for Ghanaian journalists covering environmental and corruption issues tied to illegal mining. Press freedom advocates say such violent resistance from criminal networks is part of a broader pattern of arms proliferation and criminal intimidation in galamsey hotspots.

In Summary
Armed thugs violently attacked journalists, notably Erastus Asare Donkor and Ohemeng Tawiah, while they were reporting on galamsey and anti-galamsey operations.

The attackers sought to destroy evidence, silence reporting, and intimidate media personnel.
There have been condemnations and investigations, but press and civil society group’s call for full accountability to protect journalists and uphold democratic press freedoms.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical Science communicator.
Private Investigator and Criminal
Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,
International Conflict Management and Peace Building. Alumni Gandhi Global Academy United States Institute of Peace.
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