Sports personalities blast government, police over arrest of #StopGalamsey demonstrators

Several sports personalities in the country have voiced their displeasure regarding the arrests of Democracy Hub protesters during a demonstration against illegal mining activities (galamsey).

Some criticized the government for allegedly using state institutions to suppress individuals from demonstrating and voicing their grievances.

Others called out the Christian Council and the National Peace Council for their silence on the arrests of protesters who are urging the government to take action against galamsey to protect the country's water bodies.

There has been widespread backlash on social media over the treatment of the Democracy Hub protesters by the Ghana Police Service during the demonstration.

Ghanaian sports journalists who commented on the issue include Saddick Adams of Angel FM, Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo, and Veronica Commey, among others.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the protesters stated that they had not been informed of the specific reasons for the arrests. In court, the demonstrators were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically unlawful assembly.

The protest began on September 21, 2024, with demonstrators clashing with the police, who aimed to prevent any escalation. The second day turned violent as protesters defied police directives to avoid certain routes. The final of the demonstration also saw arrests.

Read the comments below:

If you have any sort of influence, kindly speak up. Some of these people being sent to “prison” are clearly harmless.

This is not how Ghana treats even armed robbers. Drop politics and see the bigger picture. #FreetheCitizen

— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) September 25, 2024

See, I feel sick to my stomach. What a country. Words fail me. 😔

— Veronica Commey (@VeronicaCommey) September 24, 2024

Assuming govt are being flaccid as usual, you've to wonder if

• Christian Council see galamsey as a threat to the future of Christianity in Ghana?

• Nat'l Peace Council see galamsey as the biggest security threat to 🇬🇭 peace in this generation?

Their silence is shocking! https://t.co/mHKSP9allf

— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) September 24, 2024

Ghana is not a place to seek justice. Every institution appears controlled and manipulated. Zero independence! That’s the only way what’s happening can happen. It’s a very helpless situation. And things have hit rock bottom under this government. How’s this even possible?

— Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo (@Fentuo_) September 24, 2024

Thank God I am an adult and I can fully remember these incidents so that one day, no one can try to change the narrative and tell the younger ones a very different tale. We won't allow it.

— Nathan Quao (@nathan_quao) September 24, 2024

I won't be surprised if the person who wrote this is same person who said NPP is campaigning while NDC is demonstrating.

As someone said, bad governance is like rain, it does not fall on one roof. pic.twitter.com/Ne0devGK2K

— Muftawu Nabila Abdulai (@Muftawu_Nabila) September 25, 2024