Chinedu Asadu wins environmental reporting prize at West Africa media awards

Chinedu Asadu has won the environmental reporting prize at the 2021 West Africa Media Excellence Conference Award (WAMECA).

His undercover investigation, which exposed how Chinese miners endangered residents of the federal capital territory (FCT), was adjudged the best in the environmental reporting category.

The award ceremony took place on Friday in Accra, Ghana.

Asadu — who recently moved from TheCable to Associated Press (AP) — exposed how the only source of water for some remote communities in Karshi council was ruined by mine workers in the employ of Hongao Mining Company Limited, a Chinese firm.

The investigation also highlighted how the Chinese company failed to provide a borehole for the community after contaminating their water source — an action that breached section 61 of the mining act.

After the investigation was published, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) sealed off the premises of the company.

Over 700 entries from 14 West African countries were received for the 2021 WAMECA — and 21 finalists emerged from five countries.

Winners were selected in seven categories, with four other Nigerian journalists also winning their categories.

Samad Uthman of Dataphyte won the health reporting prize while Chikodi Okereocha of The Nation won the COVID-19 reporting prize, Caleb Ojewale of Business Day won the anti-corruption reporting prize and Alfred Olufemi of Premium Times was named best in business reporting.

Uthman and Kwetey Nartey of Ghana were joint winners of the best West African journalist of the year award.