President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Dwumfuor, has announced that the association will undertake a nationwide tour to assess communities and sites affected by illegal mining. 

‎The exercise would involve veteran and experienced journalists who would independently examine the impact of illegal mining and engage affected communities and other key stakeholders. 

‎“We will take the conversation to the ground. I will lead a team of veteran and experienced journalists on a nationwide tour of communities and sites affected by illegal mining. We will go into the field to see the situation ourselves,” he said at a national mining dialogue in Accra. 

‎Mr Dwumfuor said the team would visit affected communities and mining sites and engage residents, miners, farmers, traditional leaders, regulators and other relevant stakeholders to deepen public understanding of the crisis. 

‎“We will examine the conditions of previous attacks. We will speak to the affected communities. We will engage miners, farmers, traditional leaders, regulators, and other relevant stakeholders,” he said. 

‎Mr Dwumfuor said the initiative would enable journalists to assess conditions on the ground rather than rely solely on reports and claims about illegal mining. 

‎He said the exercise would be conducted independently of the Government, with the GJA working with development partners, experts and other relevant stakeholders considered necessary to ensure a comprehensive assessment. 

‎The GJA President said the initiative formed part of the media’s responsibility to provide accurate, balanced and evidence-based reporting on the country’s mining sector. 

‎He said journalists had a responsibility to investigate illegal mining networks and give affected communities a voice, while reporting fairly on interventions and mining companies that were meeting their obligations. 

‎Mr Dwumfuor stressed the importance of specialised knowledge in mining journalism, saying journalists could not effectively report on an industry they did not understand. 

‎He said the GJA would continue to promote specialised training for journalists covering mining, environmental issues, finance and regulation, alongside stronger fact-checking, investigative reporting and responsible use of data. 

‎Mr Dwumfuor said the media must remain independent while scrutinising government policies, mining companies and regulators. 

‎He said the nationwide tour would contribute to a more informed national conversation on illegal mining and the responsible exploitation of Ghana’s mineral resources.