A media coalition against illegal mining has been launched in Accra today[Tuesday 4th April] as a way of sensitizing the Ghanaian public on the menace of ‘galamsey’ and also to flash out operators of illegal mining. The media collation comprises Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Ghana Journalist Association [GJA], Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association and the Private Newspapers Publishing Association.
Speaking at the event in Accra today [Tuesday 4th April] the minister of information, Mustapha Hamid said with the support the government is getting from the media it has no reason to fail in dealing with illicit mining in the country.
 “The media basically is the mirror of the society, you reflect what it is that is important for our nation and, therefore, the fact that these matters have dominated our headlines and discussions shows that this nation is united at this point in the efforts to rescue our country and rescue the future generation.Â"…This time the media is not saying people lose their livelihoods, and so let us clamp down on the galamsey menace, which means that now this government really has no excuse not to do the right thing to stamp out this menace that threatens our future", he stated.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, has called on the media to be bold to name and shame any top official behind the operations of this illegal mining.
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According to him, although there are reports of some so-called big shots behind illegal mining, those big shots cannot be bigger than the media, therefore, practitioners should use the power they have to commend government’s efforts in dealing with the menace.
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“There are people, so-called big shots, behind it but they can never be bigger than the media. There are politicians behind it, but they are not bigger than the media. If there are chiefs behind it, they are not bigger than the mediaâ€, he said.