The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has commended the media’s fight against Galamsey- a popular term for illegal mining.
The Chinese Mission in Ghana had expressed anger at the manner in which Ghana is dealing with the issue , saying the media is particularly targeting China in their reportage on the matter.
But speaking on the development, the Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, defended the media’s reportage on the role of Chinese miners in the menace.
He indicated that, the media cannot be criticized for discharging their duties accordingly.
“…The media are also to set the agenda on issues that are of importance to our national development and that is exactly what the media has been doing on the campaign against Galamsey.”
He intimated that, the media should rather be commended for its fight against the menace .
“I think I have had occasions to say that if there is one particular thing that the media has done in recent times that deserves commendation by all of us Ghanaians, it must be this crusade that the media are waging against the issue of Galamsey… “
“The media is supposed to be factual, and so far I think that is what the media is doing. The media’s job is to educate the people which they are doing so well…And of course the media are also to set the agenda on issues that are of importance to our national development and that is exactly what the media have been doing on the campaign against Galamsey.”
Campaigns against illegal mining in the country have in the last few months intensified with Citi FM championing a #StopGalamseyNow campaign that is gaining momentum, rallying various stakeholders to address the menace which has left devastating effects on the country’s environment.
The progressive People’s Party (PPP), has described as undiplomatic the tone of a letter addressed to the government by the Chinese Mission in Ghana on the illegal mining menace in the country.
The party said the contents of the letter was an affront to Ghana’s sovereignty and must be disregarded.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
