Thousands of Ghanaians march in Accra, protesting against the rampant illegal mining known as ‘galamsey,’ urging the government to take decisive action to protect the environment and local communities.

Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Ghana’s capital, demanding a halt to illegal mining in the country, commonly referred to as ‘Galamsey’.

Some members of the crowd declared that they would persist in pressing the government until it tackles both the issue and its harmful environmental effects.

“My drive is to ensure the cessation of illegal mining in Ghana. We must continue taking action, keep striking, and persistently protest to capture their attention. They pretend not to notice it, but we know they are aware,” stated one attendee.

The protest occurred from Thursday to Saturday. In contrast to a previous demonstration in September organized by the pressure group Democracy Hub, there was no police interference with this event.

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Driven by a desire to compel government action, the Catholic Church is preparing for a peaceful demonstration against illegal mining on Friday. Meanwhile, the country’s labor unions plan to initiate a nationwide strike on Thursday.

“This government’s attitude isn’t surprising, as some members have openly stated that they are not planning to stop now. This only reinforces their stance and the actions of the president who tried to negotiate with the labor union. The labor union must realize that this illegal activity threatens both their lives and those of Ghanaians,” another participant remarked.

Protesters were additionally calling on the government to release individuals detained during an earlier demonstration against illegal mining organized by Democracy Hub.