The recent arrests and remanding of demonstrators protesting against illegal mining, or galamsey, have sparked outrage among Ghanaians, intensifying concerns over the government’s heavy-handed approach to civic expression.
These protests, which sought to raise awareness of the environmental and societal damage caused by galamsey, have been met with a response that many consider a gross violation of fundamental human rights.
Among those arrested were activists Felicity Nelson, an older woman with her granddaughter, and others who bravely expressed their frustrations over the government’s inaction in tackling the galamsey scourge.
In a poignant act, one protestor held up a bottle of water contaminated from the very river systems that illegal mining has poisoned. Rather than address the legitimacy of their cause, the state responded by incarcerating them, raising urgent questions about the state of democracy and freedom in Ghana today.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq., a private legal practitioner and spokesperson for the Mahama 2024 Campaign, did not mince words in her condemnation.
She questioned the government’s rationale behind these arrests, noting that it was merely a demonstration against galamsey, a crisis that threatens the livelihoods and health of many Ghanaians.
“Why are Akufo-Addo and Bawumia scared of the Ghanaian?” Joyce Bawah Mogtari asked, underscoring a growing sentiment among Ghanaians that the ruling government, instead of embracing dialogue, has resorted to draconian measures to suppress dissent.
“Yesterday, in 2024, a circuit court in Accra granted the wishes of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, remanding into police and prison custody innocent Ghanaians for demonstrating in support of calls to stop galamsey. This is an abuse of the human rights of these Ghanaians for simply expressing themselves through a demonstration against the devastating impact of galamsey”.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Private Legal Practitioner & Spokesperson, Mahama 2024 Campaign
The Complicity in Galamsey
The galamsey menace has been a hot-button issue in Ghana for years. Its devastating effects on the environment—polluted rivers, destroyed farmlands, and vanishing forest reserves—are clear for all to see.
According to Joyce Bawah Mogtari what is less visible, however, is the complicity of political elites in the galamsey enterprise.
She claimed that officials within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are either directly involved or have turned a blind eye to illegal mining operations.
The renowned legal practitioner cited some credible reports of high-ranking party members and supporters engaging in galamsey activities, contributing to the government’s inability—or unwillingness—to act decisively.
This widespread perception of official complicity in her view adds another layer of injustice to the arrest of peaceful protestors.
“That is why the government will not act, and President Akufo-Addo and his Bawumia are not bothered and will set the police and the courts on innocent young Ghanaians. Therefore, the court’s action and the police arrests are, sadly, to be expected”.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Private Legal Practitioner & Spokesperson, Mahama 2024 Campaign
Joyce Bawah Mogtari further pointed out that rather than focusing on holding those within their own ranks accountable, the Akufo-Addo administration has chosen to criminalize the voices of ordinary citizens, especially young Ghanaians, who are demanding a government that prioritizes the environment over illegal profit-making.
Silencing Dissent Through Fear
She stated that the arrest of the protestors is not an isolated incident but part of a broader strategy to suppress political dissent as Ghana heads towards the December 7, 2024 elections.
Mogtari noted that the government is keenly aware of the growing discontent among the youth, who bear the brunt of unemployment and economic hardship.
Public protests, especially in the run-up to an election, she noted represent a visible symbol of dissatisfaction, adding that it is one the government clearly seeks to suppress.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari argued that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is terrified of the image of mass protests in the streets because it would undermine their narrative of control and success.
She posited that with polls reflecting growing anger and disillusionment among the electorate, the government’s attempts to maintain an illusion of popular support have become increasingly desperate.
She stressed that by targeting peaceful demonstrators, the ruling government hope to keep opposition voices out of the public eye, buying themselves time before the polls, however, she argued that these attempts to stifle dissent through fear may backfire.
“They have seen the polls, they understand and see the anger, but they will continue like business as usual in the hope of hoodwinking the nation that they maintain some level of popular support”.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Private Legal Practitioner & Spokesperson, Mahama 2024 Campaign
Yet, Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Private Legal Practitioner & Spokesperson, Mahama 2024 Campaign strongly posited that despite their efforts to quash protest, the determination of young Ghanaian voters to express their dissatisfaction at the ballot box remains a formidable threat.
A Government That Fears Its People
According to her, it is a grave irony that a democratically elected government would fear the voices of the people it purports to represent. The arrests, detentions, and court actions against these protestors, she argued reflect a government that has become increasingly detached from the will of its citizens.
“Instead of listening and engaging with the frustrations of the populace, the Akufo-Addo administration is hiding behind the police and the courts, using state machinery to silence dissent”.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Private Legal Practitioner & Spokesperson, Mahama 2024 Campaign
Mogtari rightly asserted that this fear-driven approach to governance is unsustainable, adding that a government that silences its people is not just guilty of poor governance; it is undermining the very foundations of democracy.
Ghanaians, she argued, will not be silenced—neither in the streets nor at the polls. “We won’t be silenced,” she declared, underscoring a growing determination among citizens to exercise their right to vote and to remove a government that no longer serves their interests.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari’s call to action is a powerful reminder that democracy is only as strong as the citizens who defend it.
She urged Ghanaians to use their voices and their votes to demand accountability and change. “Our voices must be and will be heard on December 7th,” she said, emphasizing the critical importance of high voter turnout in the face of potential election manipulation.
A Government That Works for the People
In her final call, Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Private Legal Practitioner & Spokesperson, Mahama 2024 Campaign articulated a vision for Ghana that many citizens are yearning for—a government that listens, that works in the interest of the people, and that is not afraid of public scrutiny or dissent.
She emphasized that Ghanaians deserve leaders who engage with civil society, who confront the challenges of illegal mining head-on, and who value democratic freedoms rather than seek to undermine them.
The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, Mogtari argued, has failed miserably in its responsibility to the people.
As the nation prepares for the 2024 elections, the question for voters will be whether to continue with a government that hides behind the police and the courts, or to choose a new path—one that restores faith in democracy and governance.
As Mogtari concluded, “Our voices and our votes still matter, and we will use them.” December 7th will not just be an election—it will be a reckoning.
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