StopGalamsey Protestor Laments As Police Makes Him Stand For Over 20 Hours

• A video of a Ghanaian protestor lamenting over the treatment meted out to him by the Ghana Police following their arrest has surfaced online
• The Ghanaian model and artist Glenn Samm indicated that he had been made to stand in prison for over 20 hours after his arrest
• Speaking exclusively to YEN.com,gh, an environmentalist highlighted the relevance of the anti-galamsey protest

A protestor of the #StopGalamsey protest has broken many hearts on social media after voicing out concerns over the kind of treatment meted out to him by the Ghana Police during their arrest.

GlennSamm was among the protestors fighting for the government to act against illegal mining in the country.

However, he was arrested and taken to the police cells. Glenn recounted a distasteful experience in the cells during his first public appearance after his arrest.

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He noted that he was made to stand for over 20 hours in the cells. Other arrested protestors gave a similar account, stating they were denied food and water throughout their cell stay.

Watch the video below:

Our leaders must act now

Speaking exclusively to YEN.com.gh, an environmental activist, Rose Balami and National Operator for the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE-Ghana) explained the importance of the anti-galamsey protest.

"Demonstrations are very important because they are a way for us to register our displeasure our dislike for the current situation or the current happenings in these mining areas. Galamsey, or illegal mining, is an environmental crisis. It’s a national crisis that everyone must come on board to tackle and fight and the powers that are supposed to be the ones to find solutions to the problem are rather very silent. Why are they silent? Their silence is too loud. We need them to take action on these issues."

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"This issue at hand [galamsey] is destroying our water bodies and arable lands for agriculture. Even cocoa farms are not spared in this. And then, in the end, it has health impacts. People in mining communities are at risk of cancer, and even pregnant women are at risk of, you know, giving birth to deformed babies. So, the consequences are dire."

Netizens slam Ghana Police Service

Netizens who saw the video of the arrested protestors recounting their struggles in the police cells were upset and chided the Ghana Police Service over their conduct.

@Aaron_Gotey wrote:

"Arrested person can’t talk to the media by law cos anything they say will be used against them in the court of law."

@TwoTerty_ wrote:

"Is it against you? allow them to talk."

@callme_reader1 wrote:

"Charlie they’re not serious oo. You think Ghana Police are competent ehh? Gyimii saa. Dampare has shown us who he is already. Tweaaa."

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@quamie_legend wrote:

"See how them dress , like them dey go war lol but if you ask them to go to Kasoa now to resolve a situation they will come and tell you dem no get gears lol."

@Rich_Mind994 wrote:

"Most disappointed people are our police and the military. It’s sad they always on the government side. They should keep in mind that the citizens are more than them."

Jay Bahd criticises Democracy Hub protester

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghanaian musician Jay Bahd had criticised the Democracy Hub protestors over their recent protest.

The musician stated that he would not endorse any non-peaceful demonstrations.

Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh