Demonstrations rocked the streets of Accra on Thursday, with protesters calling for the release of 53 activists who were arrested last week during an anti-galamsey demonstration.
This marks the beginning of protests that are scheduled to continue until Saturday.
The key organizer of the ‘StopGalamseyNow’ protest, Oliver Mawuse Barker Vormawor, along with 11 other protesters, was remanded in custody until October 8 by the court.
Reports indicate that Oliver is ill while in detention.
The recent protests aim to highlight the ongoing environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.
The protests have also gained significant traction on social media, with the hashtags “FreeTheCitizens” and “SayNoToGalamsey” being used to rally more support.
The three-day protests are also intended to increase pressure on the government to end the illegal mining occurring across Ghana.
Illegal mining has left a trail of destruction throughout the country. In addition to contaminating water bodies, it has devastated farmlands, especially in cocoa-producing regions, and led to the destruction of at least 34 forest reserves.
