Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Ghana’s capital, Accra, to demand an end to illegal mining, commonly referred to as “Galamsey.” The widespread protests reflected the growing frustration over the environmental destruction caused by these activities, which continue to devastate natural resources across the country.
Many participants vowed to keep pressuring the government until it takes decisive action to stop illegal mining and its harmful effects on the environment.
“My motivation is to see that illegal mining stops in Ghana. We need to keep taking action, we need to keep going on strikes, we need to keep protesting to catch their attention, because they are acting like they haven’t seen it, but we know they have,” said one protester.
The demonstrations spanned three days, from Thursday to Saturday. Unlike a previous protest in September, organized by the advocacy group Democracy Hub, this latest event proceeded without police interference.
Amidst this growing pressure, the Catholic Church is planning a peaceful protest against illegal mining on Friday, signaling that various sectors of society are rallying to the cause. Meanwhile, the country’s labor unions are preparing for a nationwide strike on Thursday to further push for governmental action.
“This attitude of the government is not surprising because we’ve had some of the members of government say blatantly that they are not stopping now; they are not stopping anytime soon. All it means is that it affirms the stance of the president who went to beg the labor union. The labor union needs to understand that the lives of Ghanaians, including their own, are threatened by this illegal activity,” commented another protester.
In addition to seeking an end to Galamsey, protesters also called for the release of individuals who were arrested during a previous demonstration against illegal mining organized by Democracy Hub.
The growing public outcry continues to highlight the urgent need for concrete measures to combat illegal mining and protect the environment in Ghana.
