Hundreds March In Protest Against Galamsey, Demand Release Of Democracy Protesters

• Hundreds have joined a march from Okponglo to the Black Stars Square to demand the release of 53 anti-galamsey protesters
• The ongoing protest is set to also highlight the ongoing destruction of Ghana's water bodies and forests by illegal miners
• The protests against galamsey and related arrests are expected to run for three days, ending on Saturday, October 5, 2024

Hundreds of protesters have thronged the streets of Accra to demand the release of 53 anti-galamsey protesters who were arrested in September.

Today, October 3, 2024, marked the beginning of a three-day protest to highlight the ongoing degradation of the country’s natural resources by illegal miners and the threat it poses to Ghanaian lives.

The demonstration is expected to run until October 5, 2024.

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The protesters began their march at Legon Okponglo and would terminate at the Black Star Square.

Organised under the #FreeTheCitizens and #SayNoToGalamsey banners, the protest is expected to draw the president’s attention to ongoing destruction in mining communities and act to address the situation.

Netizens react to anti-galamsey protest

The hashtags have also gained momentum on social media, with more than 1,000 posts on X.

YEN.com.gh has compiled some of these tweets:

GWCL bemoans destruction of Pra River

The various anti-galamsey protests were sparked by a memo from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) bemoaning the destruction of key rivers in the country.

The management of the CWCL in the Central Region said it was facing challenges in supplying potable water to Cape Coast, Elmina, and the surrounding communities.

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The GWCL stated this challenge stemmed from the inadequacy of raw water received at the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant due to the activities of illegal miners on the River Pra.

In a press statement issued on Friday, August 30, 2024, the GWCL stated that the pollution of the River Pra, particularly at the catchment area for abstraction, has greatly affected water intake, reducing it to the barest minimum.

About 60 per cent of the catchment capacity is said to be silted, with an average turbidity of 14,000 NTU being recorded instead of 2,000 NTU expected for adequate treatment.

Attorney general defends government

YEN.com.gh reported that Godfred Yeboah Dame has defended the government's decision to prosecute anti-galamsey miners.

Despite calls for their release, the Attorney General said the protesters must be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

Yeboah Dame said the anti-galamsey protesters had exceeded freedom of expression into behaviour that was unconstitutional.

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Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh