John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed disapproval of the way demonstrators from Democracy Hub were handled after they were taken into custody during a protest against galamsey, or illegal mining.
The planned peaceful demonstration descended into violence as a few protestors got into altercations with the police.
During their demonstration at the 37 Roundabout in Accra, the demonstrators were accused by the Ghana Police Service of disrupting traffic, blocking roads, and tearing down police barriers.
Over forty protestors were consequently taken into jail, with 39 of them being placed under two-week police remand. On September 25, a Wednesday, 11 more demonstrators were placed under arrest.
Mahama denounced the circumstances in a Facebook post, calling the remand ruling “high-handed” and a “abuse of their rights.”
He maintained that the nation must strike a balance between upholding law and order and defending the liberties and rights of its people.
According to Mahama, young people in Ghana have the right to participate in nonviolent protests to safeguard their future, particularly when it comes to problems like environmental degradation.
He urged the police to ask the judge to reconsider the remand ruling and give the demonstrators their bail right away.
The former president emphasized that young people will continue to voice their opinions about problems that impact their future despite harsh court rulings.
