Four Ghanaian Reporters Discharged After EPA Anti-Galamsey Raid Accident: One Still Hospitalized in Ashanti Region

Updated November 10, 2025 – Discover the facts behind the recent car collision involving journalists on an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) task force in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, highlighting critical safety issues for reporters covering illegal mining operations known as galamsey.

Introduction

In a startling incident underscoring the perils faced by journalists in Ghana, four reporters have been discharged from the hospital following a vehicle collision during an EPA anti-galamsey raid. One colleague remains hospitalized with a thigh injury, as confirmed by the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). This event occurred while the media team accompanied EPA officers returning from operations in Dadwene and nearby communities in the Atwima Nwabiagya district of the Ashanti Region.

The accident highlights the inherent risks of covering anti-galamsey raids, where illegal small-scale mining devastates Ghana’s environment. Galamsey, a local term for unregulated gold mining, has long plagued the nation, prompting joint EPA task forces to combat it. Journalists play a vital role in exposing these activities, but such fieldwork demands heightened safety protocols. This article breaks down the incident, its context, and essential lessons for media professionals tackling galamsey dangers for journalists.

Why This Matters for Journalism in Ghana

Ghana’s media landscape thrives on investigative reporting, yet Ashanti region media accidents like this remind us of the thin line between public service and personal peril. With over 200 rivers polluted by galamsey according to EPA reports, press coverage is crucial—but not at the cost of lives.

Analysis

The collision happened at Afari when the vehicle carrying the reporters and EPA personnel crashed into an oncoming car. The group was en route back from monitoring and raiding illegal mining sites in Dadwene, a hotspot for galamsey activities that contribute to severe environmental degradation, including water contamination and forest loss.

Details of the Affected Journalists

The GJA’s statement, signed by Regional Chair Kofi Adu Domfeh, named the discharged reporters as:

• Ibrahim Abubakar (TV3/Akoma FM)
• Doris Lonta (Channel 1 TV)
• Nana Yaw Gyimah (Luv FM/JoyNews)
• Joseph Obeng (Nhyira FM/Adom News)

All four are reported as “recovering steadily.” The remaining patient, Akwasi Adomako, a camera technician with JoyNews, sustained a thigh injury. He underwent successful surgery on his right thigh on November 9, 2025, at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and is progressing well.

Broader Context of Galamsey Operations

Galamsey represents illegal small-scale mining using rudimentary methods, often employing mercury and cyanide, which poison water bodies and farmland. The EPA, alongside the Minerals Commission, conducts regular raids to enforce Ghana’s Mining Act. Journalists embedding with these teams document violations, but sites are volatile: armed miners frequently resist, posing threats to intruders, including reporters. The GJA’s field monitoring in Ashanti confirms these risks, with many sites harboring violence-prone operators.

This EPA task accident is not isolated; it reflects systemic challenges in Ghana’s fight against galamsey, where over 60% of river bodies in affected regions show pollution levels exceeding safe limits, per official EPA data.

Summary

Four reporters—Ibrahim Abubakar, Doris Lonta, Nana Yaw Gyimah, and Joseph Obeng—were released from medical care after a road crash en route from an EPA anti-galamsey raid in Ghana’s Ashanti Region. Akwasi Adomako remains under observation post-surgery at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The GJA thanked supporters, including fellow journalists, the public, and EPA staff, while urging enhanced safety in galamsey reporting. This incident emphasizes the need for risk assessment in high-stakes environmental journalism.

Key Points

Practical Advice

For journalists covering anti-galamsey operations in Ghana, proactive measures can mitigate risks. The GJA recommends thorough risk assessments before assignments.

Safety Protocols for Field Reporting

• Pre-Assignment Planning: Evaluate site volatility via GJA or police intel. Coordinate with task forces for armed escorts.
• Vehicle Checks: Inspect transport for roadworthiness, especially on rural Ashanti routes prone to accidents.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Helmets, vests, and first-aid kits; demand insurance coverage from employers.
• Communication: Use satellite phones or trackers; inform editors of itineraries hourly.
• Team Composition: Travel in convoys; pair experienced reporters with security-aware technicians.

Training Recommendations

Media houses should invest in hostile environment training, similar to those offered by the International News Safety Institute. In Ghana, GJA workshops on journalist safety in galamsey zones have proven effective, reducing incident rates by emphasizing de-escalation tactics against armed miners.

Employers must provide hazard pay and psychological support post-trauma, fostering a culture where safety trumps deadlines.

Points of Caution

Galamsey sites dangers for journalists are multifaceted. GJA monitoring reveals armed illegal miners view outsiders as threats, leading to assaults. Ashanti Region hotspots like Dadwene amplify these perils due to poor roads and unpredictable traffic.

Identified Risks

• Physical Violence: Miners often carry weapons; past incidents include beatings of reporters.
• Environmental Hazards: Toxic chemicals, unstable pits, and mercury exposure during raids.
• Travel Dangers: As in this EPA task coincidence crash, rural roads increase collision risks.
• Health Threats: Post-exposure medical checks for poisoning symptoms.

Vigilance is key: Avoid solo coverage, report threats immediately, and prioritize life over footage.

Comparison

This Incident vs. Previous Ghana Journalist Accidents

Unlike direct assaults on reporters during 2023 galamsey clashes in Western Region—where three were injured by miners—this Ashanti EPA accident stemmed from a road collision, not confrontation. Recovery outcomes align: most resume work swiftly, but thigh fractures like Adomako’s require weeks, per hospital norms.

Risks: Galamsey Coverage vs. General Reporting

Data from GJA annual reports shows galamsey stories carry triple the injury risk of urban beats.

Legal Implications

Galamsey violates Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency Act (1994) and Minerals and Mining Act (2006), empowering EPA raids. Journalists enjoy constitutional press freedom under Article 162 but no legal mandate for high-risk embeds without safeguards. Post-accident, negligence claims could arise if vehicles lacked maintenance, per Road Traffic Act. No criminal charges reported here, focusing instead on civil recovery support. Employers bear liability for unsafe assignments under Labour Act 2003.

Conclusion

This Ghana reporters EPA accident serves as a wake-up call for safer galamsey journalism practices. With four discharged and one recovering, positive outcomes prevail, but the GJA’s warnings resonate: Protect lives to sustain vital reporting. Media leaders, EPA partners, and journalists must collaborate on robust protocols, ensuring environmental exposés continue without tragedy.

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