Re-Occupy Julorbi House: Ghanaians Protest Illegal Mining and Demand Action – Ghanaians are protesting in a three-day #Re-Occupy Julorbi House demonstration to highlight the serious effects of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey on the environment and water bodies. This post discusses the protest details, the demands of the organisers and the government’s response.
Re-Occupy Julorbi House: Ghanaians Stand Up Against Illegal Mining
Ghanaian civil society group Democracy Hub is leading a three-day protest called “Stop the Galamsey and Re-Occupy Julorbi House.” The protest started today, the 21st of September, 2024 and has led to major roads in Accra being blocked as protesters demand government action against illegal mining.
Traffic has been heavily affected, with major routes from the Airport area to Accra Central closed. Roads through the 37 Military Hospital, Burma Camp and Ako Adjei Interchange are also blocked.
The protesters are upset about the severe damage illegal mining has done to Ghana’s natural resources. In many rural areas, water sources have been contaminated with chemicals, making them unsafe for drinking and farming. One protester said, “The rivers in our communities have turned brown with chemicals, and people are getting sick. It is heartbreaking to see our children drink this polluted water.”
Organiser Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor called for all Ghanaians to support the protest, saying “If we come together, we can achieve what we need.” The protesters want the government to take stronger action against illegal mining.
READ ALSO: 5 Ways To Enjoy A Long Vacation In Ghana.
The protesters accused some government officials, including the Lands and Natural Resources Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor, of being complicit in the illegal mining activities and demanded for their resignation.
They also called for the resignation of heads of state agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, whom they blamed for failing to effectively combat “Galamsey.”
Re-Occupy Julorbi House: Clashes With Police and Arrests
The protest originally aimed to take place at the Jubilee House, where the seat of Ghana’s government is located, but the police tried to stop it. They filed an injunction at the Accra High Court in an attempt to prevent the demonstration from happening but it was later dropped.
Despite this, the police blocked roads leading to Jubilee House, resulting in confrontations with the protesters. On the first day, the police disrupted the protest and arrested several people, who were released later that day.
The National Democratic Congress, criticised these arrests as violations of rights and the Ghana Journalists Association condemned the police for mistreating journalists covering the event.
