Galamsey Comments: I didn’t mean to disgrace you – GJA President tells Akufo-Addo

President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has explained that his recent comments about former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s handling of illegal mining, also known as galamsey, were not meant to embarrass him.

Speaking on Morning Starr on Monday, June 23, 2025, Dwumfour said his remarks were meant to express the genuine concerns of journalists and the wider public about the environmental damage caused by illegal mining activities.

“You have discharged your duty dutifully in all other areas, but we feel that you failed us in this area. This was the fact,” he explained.

He acknowledged that he was aware his comments might not sit well with some, but said he felt obligated to speak up as the leader of Ghana’s media community. According to him, he wasn’t surprised by the former president’s reaction.

“I wasn’t expecting the President to be happy, especially being my guest of honour but I didn’t say it to disgrace or embarrass him,” he explained.

Dwumfour added that he had already shared his thoughts with national security officials before making the public statement, clarifying that it was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

“I was only speaking the truth. I felt that it was an opportunity for us to share some of these concerns before him,” he noted.

He also highlighted the role of the media as the fourth estate of the realm, emphasizing its responsibility to act as a bridge between the government and the people.

According to Dwumfour, the occasion presented a valuable chance for former President Akufo-Addo to respond to public concerns about how his administration tackled illegal mining.

His clarification comes in response to reactions that followed his speech at the 28th GJA Awards on September 28, 2024, which also commemorated the Association’s 75th anniversary. At the event, Dwumfour had called the effects of illegal mining “shameful” and urged the former President to honor his promise to tackle the issue before leaving office.