Environmental journalist Erastus Asare Donkor has revealed that his life is under serious threat due to his continued work in exposing illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, he disclosed that he has received chilling text messages warning of his death, including threats of beheadings meant to deter him.
“Someone has already been hurt because of me, but I won’t talk about it now since the police are investigating,” Donkor said, adding that the attacks stem directly from his anti-galamsey reporting.
He questioned why his efforts to highlight the dangers of galamsey should attract such hostility.
“What is really my crime? A menace that is affecting all of us. People send me messages that they will kill me. They say they will cut off someone’s head as a deterrent to me,” he lamented.
Mr. Donkor reiterated Professor Sampene’s revealation on the far-reaching health consequences, including 500 spontaneous abortions linked to placental contamination from polluted mining sites.
He stressed that while mining legally through proper licensing is possible, some individuals exploit political connections to destroy forests and water bodies for personal gain.
“Won’t it be easy to get the license when our party is in power from the Minerals Commission and Water Resources Commission? Everybody wants to take the law into their hands and misbehave just to make money,” he remarked.
Despite the threats, Donkor vowed not to be silenced.
“We cannot all be cowards and fold our hands. A time will come when we will struggle for water and suffer a lot of sickness. We must collectively speak up and fight against this menace, because if we leave it to one person, the attacks will persist,” he urged.
Erastus Asare Donkor has been one of Ghana’s most prominent voices against galamsey, using his investigative journalism to expose its environmental and social impact.
His reporting has highlighted widespread destruction of water bodies, deforestation, and the health dangers posed to communities in mining areas.
His work has not only sparked public debate but also intensified calls for stronger government intervention in the galamsey fight.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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