President Akufo-Addo breaks silence on galamsey protests

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that he has nothing to do with the arrest of protesters by the Ghana Police Service regarding the #StopGalamsey protests taking place in Ghana.

According to him, the police arrests of the protesters are due to their misconduct, which could jeopardize the peace and stability of the nation.

Akufo-Addo noted that aggrieved individuals are free to air their views and demonstrate over issues bothering them without any impediments, despite some people suggesting otherwise.

Speaking in an interview with France 24 TV, the president clarified that the court and the police are handling issues with the protesters without any political meddling to stifle dissent.

"I'm not responsible for jailing people in Ghana. The courts in Ghana are independent institutions and they have been all through this period of the fourth republic. People misconduct themselves and they're brought before court. It's for the court to deal with them. It has nothing to do with politics or the executive.

"Their behavior is what lands them in problems with the police and with the courts. It's not the protest. How can the president, who himself's political career was aided by leading protests, have problems with protests? I don't have problems with protests. And nothing is done in Ghana to prevent people from airing their views on anything," Akufo-Addo said.

The #StopGalamsey protest is a group of Ghanaians who are aggrieved by the destruction of water bodies by illegal mining activities, calling on the government to take action to resolve the issue.

The demonstration lasted for three days, spanning from October 3 to 5, 2024.

Some protesters were arrested by the police and are awaiting a hearing in court to determine their fate.

Religious leaders, political figures, and state institutions have all added their voices for the galamsey menace to end.

The Organised Labour has served notice that it will embark on a strike on October 10, 2024, if the government fails to respond to the calls.

Watch the video below:

🚨ICYMI🇬🇭✊🏾🗣️: President @NAkufoAddo has finally commented on the recent protests against galamsey and the arrest of anti-galamsey activists during an interview with @FRANCE24.

“I'm not responsible for jailing people in Ghana. The courts in Ghana are independent institutions,… pic.twitter.com/cNktdDhbes

— Ölele | DTS👨🏾‍🍳🇬🇭 (@OleleSalvador) October 6, 2024