‘Poisoned for Gold’ Project Pricks Nation’s Conscience

Reporter Erastus Asare Donkor seen in a video still from the opening of his award-winning report on polluting gold mines in Ghana. Image: JoyNews.

Inside Story: ‘Poisoned for Gold’ Project Pricks Nation’s Conscience

Heavy metal contamination from illegal gold mining operations in Ghana is devastating the environment and causing severe health problems for workers and local communities, reports an award-winning three-part video series from JoyNews TV-Ghana. Reporter Erastus Asare Donkor and video editor Kofi Asare traversed the country, meticulously documenting the link between mining contamination and local health issues. 

Judges from the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 23rd Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment, who awarded the project a prize for outstanding investigative reporting, small, were impressed with the broad reach of their reporting. “The series exemplifies the power of environmental journalism,” they wrote. “The series ignited a national debate on responsible mining and catalyzed tangible change, with some polluting mining operations shuttered as a result.” 

SEJournal Online recently caught up with Donkor by email. Here is the conversation, lightly edited for clarity and style.

SEJournal: How did you get your winning story idea? 

Erastus Asare Donkor: After years of reporting on the negative impacts of illegal gold mining, I wanted to add the human angle and the effects on public health and livelihoods.

SEJournal: What was the biggest challenge in reporting the series and how did you solve that challenge?

Donkor: Getting funds for the production was a challenge. My company was reeling under financial challenges. I wrote proposals and pitched my story idea to Trust Africa, an NGO that met us halfway and teamed up with us to do this.

SEJournal: What most surprised you about your reporting? 

 

‘Heavy metals were spreading

into the food chain and

impacting unborn babies.’

 

Donkor: The scale of contamination. Heavy metals were spreading into the food chain and impacting unborn babies.

SEJournal: How did you decide to tell the series and why? 

Donkor: I wanted to give the degradation and pollution of water bodies a human face. To bring the story home to people and to let people connect with how close the effects are to them and their families. The idea was to prick the conscience of both citizens and duty-bearers. 

Erastus Asare Donkor

SEJournal: Does the issue covered in your story have disproportional impacts on people of low income, or people with a particular ethnic or racial background? What efforts, if any, did you make to include perspectives of people who may feel that journalists have left them out of public conversation over the years? 

Donkor: The impact of illegal gold mining largely affects the vulnerable at the local level. I visited communities, spoke with people who are affected and spoke with miners to get their perspectives on why they do what they do to inform policy direction.

SEJournal: What would you do differently now, if anything, in reporting or telling the series and why? 

Donkor: I would want to look more at solutions and focus on communities that have surmounted similar challenges, using their stories as best practices on ways to change the narrative. I believe if we get communities to appreciate how valuable their contributions are to the fight against illegal gold mining, it will motivate them to take active roles in solving the problem. 

SEJournal: What lessons have you learned from your project?

Donkor: Teamwork is crucial. Do broader consultations. Research into existing data on the topic to broaden your scope.

SEJournal: What practical advice would you give to other reporters pursuing similar projects, including any specific techniques or tools you used and could tell us more about? 

 

‘Use simple storytelling techniques

and language that will get the

story home to your audience.’

 

Donkor: Engage experts on the subject to build your pitch. Find interesting angles to pursue as part of your information-gathering process. Liaise with your team to find safer ways of investigating your subject. Identify and reach out to all players in your story idea. Use simple storytelling techniques and language that will get the story home to your audience.

SEJournal: Could you characterize the resources that went into producing your prizewinning reporting (estimated costs, i.e., legal, travel or other; or estimated hours spent by the team to produce)? Did you receive any grants or fellowships to support it?

Donkor: It took us about seven months to investigate, write scripts and edit videos. We spent 70,000 Ghanian Cedis (roughly $6,500) for accommodation, transportation, legal, fixer fees, drone renting and hiring of a drone pilot. We had 30,000 Cedis from Trust Africa and NGOs. My company supported the remaining cost and provision of other logistics.

SEJournal: Is there anything else you would like to share about this story or environmental journalism? 

Donkor: “Poisoned for Gold” has become a reference point for national discussions on the effects of illegal gold mining. We translated it into the local language and have since used it for outreach programs in some affected communities. Gradually, people are appreciating the effects of illegal gold mining on their health.

Erastus Asare Donkor is a seasoned investigative journalist and documentary film producer with over 15 years of experience. Specializing in environmental reporting, his notable investigations include reports on the degradation of forest reserves, pollution of water bodies and the impact of mining on local communities. His work has led to significant outcomes, including the withdrawal of military personnel protecting illegal miners in the Apamprama Forest Reserve, and his documentaries have garnered national recognition. He currently serves as an assistant news editor at Multimedia Group Limited in Kumasi, Ghana.

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* From the weekly news magazine SEJournal Online, Vol. 11, No. 11. Content from each new issue of SEJournal Online is available to the public via the SEJournal Online main page. Subscribe to the e-newsletter here. And see past issues of the SEJournal archived here.