The three-day demonstration against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, led by youth activists, concluded on Saturday, October 5, with a vigil at the forecourt of Accra Sports Stadium.
The protest was aimed at urging the government to take decisive action against galamsey and also to demand the release of 53 citizens who had been arrested during a previous protest two weeks earlier.
Mehnn! Ghana is proud of all of you who genuinely did this. Unbelievable 🇬🇠#StopGalamseyNow #FreetheCitizens pic.twitter.com/I0bq4TKxAE
— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) October 5, 2024
The demonstration began with a 12-kilometre march from Okponglo, near the University of Ghana, to the Independence Square, where protesters, dressed in red and black, chanted for an end to the environmental destruction caused by galamsey.
The placards they carried spoke volumes, with inscriptions like “We need clean water,” “Stop galamsey now,” and “Akufo-Addo, let my people go,” reflecting the urgency and emotion behind the movement.
Keeping momentum for a safe and better mother Ghana 🇬🇠y3n ara asaase ni!
— #Fixthecountry (@Ghfixthecountry) October 5, 2024
Massive turnout at the #FreetheCitizens #StopGalamseyNow protest happening tonight at đź“Ťforecourt, Accra Sports Stadium.#FreetheCitizens #StopGalamseyNow pic.twitter.com/q19136RVFS
At the same time, Ghanaians living in New York held a protest in front of the Ghanaian Embassy, calling for an end to galamsey and the release of those detained.
The demonstration, held in front of the Ghana High Commission in London, aimed to raise awareness about the devastating effects of illegal mining, known as “galamsey,” on Ghana’s environment and communities.
They held placards with messages such as “Blood, Gold, Greed!,” “Water No Bi Politics,” and “Stop Illegal Mining Now!.”
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