The Fourth Estate Journalists honoured for galamsey exposé

Two investigative journalists of The Fourth Estate, Seth J. Bokpe and Edmund Agyemang Boateng, have won the prestigious Best Long-Form Report on Illegal Mining award at the maiden edition of the Media Freedom Coalition Awards.

The recognition was conferred during a ceremony marking World Press Freedom Day 2025, held at the residence of the German Ambassador in Accra on May 5, 2025.

Mr Bokpe, an Associate Editor, and Mr Agyeman Boateng, a reporter, were praised for a detailed exposé, which uncovered the faces behind several mining concessions along water bodies that have been severely damaged despite a ban on mining close to water bodies.

Themed “The Relevance of Press Freedom in Times of Galamsey”, the event spotlighted the essential role of the media in confronting the growing threat of illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, which continues to ravage Ghana’s environment and compromise public trust in governance.

The ceremony was jointly hosted by German Ambassador H.E. Daniel Krull and British High Commissioner H.E. Harriet Thompson, and attended by high-profile dignitaries, including Ghana’s Minister of State in Charge of Government Communications, Hon. Felix Ofosu Kwakye, heads of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), as well as executives from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).

The award-winning investigation titled “Former Chief of Staff’s Son, Amewu’s Brother, Others Hold Concessions on Ravaged Riverbanks Despite Akufo-Addo’s Ban”, was praised by the award jury as striking “at the heart of galamsey, [and] exposing the hypocrisy of the political class who had been empowered to stop it but had become complicit and active participants.”

The report uncovered how politically connected individuals—including the son of former Chief of Staff, Frema Osei-Opare and a brother of former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John-Peter Amewu—own and operate mining companies such as Cape North Limited, Tera Nayo Limited, and Zogok Gold. These companies were found to be holding concessions and conducting mining operations within protected zones—specifically within 100 meters of major rivers like the Tano and Ankobra. Their acts violated environmental regulations and a presidential ban instituted by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Despite lacking the mandatory permits from regulatory bodies such as the EPA and the Water Resources Commission, the companies continued operations, highlighting glaring lapses in enforcement and a culture of impunity among politically shielded actors.

The 2025 Media Freedom Coalition Awards marked the first edition of what organizers hope will become an annual event to celebrate excellence in journalism and defend press freedom.

Two other journalists also received top honours. Timothy Ngnenbe of Graphic Online won Best News Report, and Clara Mlano of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was awarded Best Long-Form Broadcast Report.