'It's babaric and inhumane' - Rachel Appoh slams police, government over treatment of anti-galamsey protestors

The former Deputy Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Rachel Appoh, has lashed out at the Ghana Police Service for what she perceives to be the mistreatment of the protestors arrested during the anti-galamsey protest by the Democracy Hub.

She stated that the action by the police under the watch of President Akufo-Addo is condemnable and a slap in the face of the fundamental human rights of the suspects.

Rachel Appoh was specifically unhappy with the alleged treatment of a pregnant woman, slamming the police for their refusal to allow medication for the woman.

In the view of Rachel Appoh, the arrest, which has gained traction on social media, is a further dent on Ghana’s enviable record as a beacon of democracy.

The former Gomoa Central legislator said, “This is very unfortunate and we all need to condemn it: from my checks, this suspect is asthmatic to the extent that the family wanted to give this woman her medication and inhaler and the police rejected this until she had an attack before the family was called to bring the medication….”

Rachel Appoh’s comments follow the arrest and subsequent arraignment of Oliver Barker-Vormawor and over 40 others for their involvement in the recent three-day #StopGalamseyNow demonstrations organized by Democracy Hub.

The former Gomoa Central Member of Parliament believes the charges preferred against the accused persons, as well as the failure by the trial judge to grant them bail, are unfortunate.

Describing the charge of “offensive conduct to breach of peace” as laughable, she said the New Patriotic Party government is more guilty of the offense than the accused persons. She indicated that the Nana Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led government should rather be charged and prosecuted for breaching the peace of Ghanaians in the face of the ever-rising cost of living, the constant depreciation of the cedi against the dollar, and the unparalleled record of corruption, among others.