The largest opposition political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has congratulated Multimedia’s Erastus Asare Donkor for winning the P.A.V Ansah Journalist of the Year at the 27th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards.

The party says the award is a testament of Erastus’ relentless devotion to the fight against illegal mining and its debilitating impact on Ghana's environment.

The National Communications Officer of NDC, Sammy Gyamfi in a Facebook post on Monday, October 30, in describing Erastus as a standard-bearer, urged him to continue his good works.

“At the very peril of his life and sometimes in the face of intimidation from the powers that be, Erastus Asare Donkor took his lenses into various forest reserves and hard-to-reach places to expose the underbelly of the Galamsey menace that has assumed alarming proportions under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration,” he wrote.

Mr Gyamfi added that this will encourage other journalists to be fearless in executing their duties.

“Undoubtedly, this award will motivate and encourage he and others like him to sustain the fight to protect and preserve our environment, from wanton destruction by a few greedy persons.”

Mr Donkor, who is a journalist with JoyFM, JoyNews and Luv FM, all subsidiaries of The Multimedia Group, was crowned at the event which took place on Sunday at the Accra International Conference Centre.

He has been consistent in producing comprehensive reports in recent times on the devastating effects of illegal mining that have ignited national conversations.

In the citation, the GJA commended Mr Donkor for his significant contributions to national development.

“You demonstrated outstanding quality in journalism standards in the year 2022, capping it with the three-part destruction-for-gold documentary. In that work, you exposed the greed and some characters behind the wanton destruction of the environment.’

"There is no doubt that you served your country in this way, bringing attention to a menace threatening to consume the nation. For your sterling journalistic work and the boldness you exhibited in the discharge of a cardinal duty in the interest of the nation, the Ghana Journalists Association is proud to honour you with the PAV Ansah Journalist of the Year Award.”

Aside from winning the ultimate award on the night, Mr Asare Donkor, an Assisting News Editor, also received an award for the Best Reporter on Illegal Mining.

The award was for his exceptional reports and documentaries on 'galamsey' and its effects on the country's human and natural resources.

Speaking at the event, Mr Donkor thanked his colleagues “who sacrifice their lives every day with me” and the team at The Multimedia Group for the support.