The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed its deep concern over the decision by the Accra Circuit Court to remand 28 protesters associated with the Democracy Hub into police custody, along with 11 others into prison custody.
In a press statement signed by the party’s National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi Esq., the NDC described the remand order as alarming and indicative of the increasingly authoritarian tendencies of the current government.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration has not only failed in addressing the environmental crisis caused by illegal mining but is now also clamping down on peaceful demonstrations designed to demand government accountability.
“These arrests involved brutalities meted out to innocent unarmed civilians by the Police. Among those arrested were minors, the aged and a four-month-old pregnant woman who was merely taking pictures close to the scene of the demonstration. Another gentleman who was returning from church was equally arrested alongside a host of other innocent bystanders.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq., NDC National Communications Officer
According to the NDC, the arrested protesters have been denied access to their families and lawyers, with some reportedly being deprived of basic necessities like food and water.
This treatment, the NDC argues, reflects the high-handedness of the police under the current government’s influence and is a flagrant violation of the protesters’ fundamental human rights.
One of the most disturbing elements of the situation, according to the NDC, is the decision by the Accra Circuit Court to remand the protesters for offenses classified as misdemeanors.
Sammy Gyamfi criticized the court’s actions, asserting that such offenses should not warrant remand, and by doing so, the judiciary is playing a role in suppressing civil dissent.
“The right to protest is an inviolable fundamental human right. It must not be inhibited by acts of high-handedness by the police and the courts.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq., NDC National Communications Officer
The NDC further criticized the Ghana Police Service for using its resources to suppress the anti-galamsey protests instead of tackling the illegal mining crisis itself.
According to the opposition party, the government’s efforts should be focused on stopping the environmental destruction caused by galamsey rather than silencing those demanding action.
Sammy Gyamfi’s statement argued that the true criminals are those government officials and NPP functionaries involved in illegal mining. These individuals, the NDC maintains, are the ones who should be held accountable under the law, rather than protesters who are calling attention to the galamsey crisis.
The NDC called for the immediate discontinuation of the prosecution of the protesters and their release from custody. The party emphasized that illegal mining under the Akufo-Addo administration has reached alarming levels, posing an “existential threat” to Ghanaians.
“The increased spate of illegal mining under the watch of the NPP poses an existential threat to all Ghanaians. Persons who have decided to protest against this menace deserve commendation and encouragement, not custodial punishment.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq., NDC National Communications Officer
Call to President Akufo-Addo
In a direct appeal to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NDC urged him to intervene by instructing the Attorney-General to drop the charges against the protesters.
“Mr. President, citizens who are merely demanding a stop to the galamsey menace, in respect of which you promised to put your ‘presidency on the line,’ must not become targets of such brazen misuse of power by your government,” Sammy Gyamfi emphasized.
The NDC challenged the president to prove his commitment to addressing illegal mining by stopping the ongoing prosecution of those advocating for the protection of the environment.
This development follows the protesters’ involvement in a three-day demonstration against illegal mining, or “galamsey,” under the leadership of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led government. The protest aimed to draw attention to the devastating impact of galamsey on Ghana’s environment.
In this highly charged political climate, the coming days will reveal whether the government will heed the NDC’s demands or continue on its current path of prosecuting protesters.
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