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John Dramani Mahama, Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized the decision to remand the Democracy Hub protesters, asserting that the youth have a right to demonstrate, especially on pressing issues such as environmental degradation caused by illegal mining.
In a tweet on September 26, 2024, Mahama described the judiciary’s decision as “draconian” and expressed concern that such actions would not deter young people from voicing their concerns. He urged authorities to ensure the judge reconsiders the remand and grants the protesters bail.
Mahama stated, “We must balance our need to maintain law and order with protecting the rights and freedoms of our citizens.” He further stressed that the youth are entitled to protest issues that impact their future, including illegal mining, also known as “galamsey.”
The Democracy Hub organized a three-day protest from September 21 to 23, 2024, targeting illegal mining and alleged economic mismanagement. As of September 25, 2024, 53 protesters had been arraigned in court.
Mahama’s full tweet read:
“High-handedness! We must balance our need to maintain law and order with protecting the rights and freedoms of our citizens. Remanding Democracy Hub demonstrators for two weeks is high-handed and an abuse of their rights. The youth of Ghana have a right to engage in manifestations to protect their future, especially on key issues like the destruction of the environment through illegal mining. Draconian judicial decisions such as this won’t stop them from speaking out. The authorities must request the judge to review the remand decision and grant them bail immediately.”
