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Nine individuals, including activist Ama Governor, have been granted bail by the Accra High Court in connection with recent anti-galamsey protests. Justice Comfort Tasiame set the bail at GH¢70,000 per person, with each requiring two sureties. The other protestors granted bail are Emmanuel Gyan, Emmanuel Kwabena Addo, Ziblim Yakubu, Oheneba Prempeh, Philip Owusu Kwabena, Akisibik Desmond, Von Coffie, and Sadik Yakubu.
The protesters were arrested during peaceful demonstrations aimed at raising awareness about the devastating effects of illegal mining, or “galamsey,” on Ghana’s environment and communities. Their legal team argued that the protests were a peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly, underscoring the urgent need to protect the country’s natural resources.
The court acknowledged the importance of the protesters’ environmental cause but stressed the need for law and order during public demonstrations. This bail ruling comes at a time of heightened public concern over galamsey’s destructive impact on farmlands, water bodies, and forests.
Despite the peaceful nature of the protests, the state has faced criticism for detaining some protesters beyond the legal limit of 48 hours, which legal experts have called an excessive response to their advocacy for environmental justice.
