Two Journalists Seriously Injured After Road Crash, Attack on EPA Anti-galamsey Team Near Obuasi
- An Environmental Protection Authority team was reportedly attacked by illegal miners during an operation near Obuasi
- A team of journalists covering the EPA operation was reportedly caught up in the attack and also involved in a road crash
- The Environmental Protection Authority has undertaken compliance and enforcement operations in the Ashanti Region
A team of journalists accompanying the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on an operation was involved in a serious accident in the Ashanti Region.
The incident, which left two of the journalists in critical condition, occurred at Afari, following a violent encounter with illegal miners at Dadwene near Obuasi.
Source: Facebook
3News reported that the convoy of the Environmental Protection Authority team was initially attacked by a group of illegal miners at Dadwene, a community near Obuasi.
The severity of the attack reportedly forced the team and the accompanying media personnel to retreat.
The subsequent accident, which happened later at Afari, has left several people injured.
Journalists injured during Environmental Protection Authority operation
The Environmental Protection Authority has been undertaking compliance and enforcement exercises in the Ashanti Region.
The exercise has been led by the Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse.
The focus has been on warehouses purported to be assembling equipment for illegal mining activities.
This forms part of a national effort to combat illegal mining in the country’s water bodies and to ensure strict adherence to environmental regulations.
In comments on the galamsey problem, Awula Serwah, the coordinator of the Eco-Conscious Citizens movement, stressed the need for enforcement to be intensified.
"What people don’t seem to realise is that a consequence of illegal mining, the peasant farmers are losing their livelihood. The fishermen are losing their livelihood.”
EPA CEO explains injuries journalists suffered
Klutse has since said that journalists who were involved in the accident after the anti-galamsey team was attacked are responding to treatment.
She said the victims suffered various forms of injury, including a broken thigh, head injuries, and chest pains.
“We thank God that we all have our lives now, it is just unfortunate that we have some injuries. The most critical one is a broken thigh, which is one of the Joy TV cameramen.
"Adom TV’s correspondent had a head injury; he is also responding to treatment. Then we have some EPA staff who were also involved in the accident; they are all responding to treatment.”
Klutse also appealed to the doctors and nurses caring for the victims to give them special care because they were on a national assignment.
This incident comes after the attack on the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and his team at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
The NAIMOS boss and his team had intercepted illegal miners operating near Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region and arrested some suspects.
However, a mob numbering about 600 besieged the Hwidiem Police Station, where they had taken the suspects. A Member of Parliament was implicated in the attack.
Source: Getty Images
Ghanaians risk losing clean water to galamsey
YEN.com.gh also previously reported that over 20 million Ghanaians were at risk of losing their access to clean water due to galamsey pollution.
The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey predicted that there would be a 280% increase in water tariffs, calling for the government's intervention.
The coalition called for a state of emergency to be declared, as well as prosecutions and the enactment of policies to effect accountability.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
