Former President John Dramani Mahama, according to a citinewsroom.com report, has expressed concerns over the media’s inability to hold the current government accountable for environmental issues.
In his message on World Press Freedom Day, which took place on May 3, 2024 John Mahama underscored the media’s power and stressed the importance of its role in addressing environmental safety and protection issues.
On his X account, the former president, according to the news outlet, marked the day by encouraging the media to fulfil its responsibility as a check on government actions.
“A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis. We must consider journalism’s vital role in tackling the severe environmental challenges our nation and planet face.
“Unfortunately, our media’s failure to effectively hold the government accountable for critical environmental issues, such as illegal mining (galamsey), deforestation and worsening sanitation is a matter of alarming concern.
“The ongoing degradation of our water bodies and forests poses significant threats to our environment, as well as to the health and livelihoods of our communities. It is crucial that the media, with its power to expose these harmful activities, inspires society and relevant authorities into action,” Mr Mahama was quoted as saying.
The Chronicle agrees with the Former President that the media coverage of serious environmental infractions, such as illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has gone down completely. This has, obviously, given the nation wreckers the opportunity to continuously destroy our forests and water bodies with impunity.
But much as we, the media, accept the blame for taking our foot off the accelerator pedal, we cannot entirely be blamed for what is happening now. What are the military and police taskforce that was put in place by the government to fight the menace also doing about the situation now? Hardly will one hear about the activities of the taskforce, even though the illegal miners are still in the bush destroying the water bodies and arable land.
Also, until his recent comment on the issue, which we are referencing, politicians, including Mr Mahama himself, have all kept quiet over the issue. If the politician comments about it, the media will carry it, as we have always been doing. The same way if members of the taskforce arrest some of the perpetrators of the crime, the media will be on hand to carry the story.
But if Mr Mahama’s constituents (politicians – both in government and opposition) and the taskforce have relaxed in the execution of their duties, why should we, the media alone, be blamed? It is the duty of every Ghanaian to ensure that the war against illegal mining and deforestation has been won and not by only journalists.
The Chronicle is also happy that Mr Mahama, as an opposition leader has raised this issue and is calling on journalists to help fight the menace. We, however, think the former president is courting for the support of the media because he is no more in the driving seat.
Politicians, we must admit, are funny people. When they are in power and journalists write stories exposing the ills in government, the journalists involved instantly become their ‘number one’ enemy. All that the same journalists have done for them in the past are not recognised. We must be blunt here – both the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) -are guilty when it comes to this non-recognition issue.
As we earlier indicated, Mr Mahama is probably criticising the media on the galamsey fight because he is no more the president; and no one will blame him for the devastation going on. But let him take over the reins of power and you will see how the hawks in his government will start attacking journalists who will be reporting on galamsey issues.
We hope that should Mr Mahama become president again, he will respect the work of journalists and will not allow sycophants that will be surrounding him to be painting some of his (Mahama) colleague journalists black to him. Since this country is for all of us, the work of journalists should not be seen as an attempt to disgrace the government in power. We are rather seeking the interest of the country.
