Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, the Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has charged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with dishonesty concerning his statements about the arrests of the Democracy Hub protesters. He characterized the president’s level of dishonesty in this situation as “terrible.”
“The dishonesty is appalling; he tends to ignore local media while opting for international interviews, which allows him to evade fact-checking,” Edudzi stated during an appearance on TV3’s “Nig Ossue” on Monday, October 7.
“The individual prosecuting these protesters in court is an appointee of Akufo-Addo, and the Inspector General of Police who authorized their arrest was also appointed by him.”
Edudzi’s remarks follow President Akufo-Addo’s assertion that the executive branch had no involvement in the recent detainment of the Democracy Hub protesters. The president suggested that the arrests were a result of the protesters’ behavior during their demonstration.
He remarked, “As a political leader who has participated in numerous protests myself, I have no issue with citizens voicing their concerns. How can a president whose political career was shaped by leading protests have problems with protests? I do not oppose them.” In a recent interview with France 24, the president stated that the government does not suppress citizens’ rights to express their views.
“The courts in Ghana are independent and have operated without interference from the executive throughout the Fourth Republic. When individuals misbehave, they are brought before the courts to address their actions; it has nothing to do with the executive,” he explained. “Their conduct is what leads to trouble with the police and the courts, not the protest itself.”
The protesters were arrested during their second day of demonstrations against illegal mining (galamsey) on September 22 and have been remanded into police custody.
They are scheduled to appear in court on October 8, facing charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, unlawful assembly, causing unlawful damage, and assaulting a public officer. The protesters have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In recent weeks, Ghanaians have organized various protests to demand urgent government action to combat illegal mining, which has severely polluted water bodies across the country. This rising galamsey crisis has prompted citizens to take action before the situation worsens.
From October 3 to 5, the Coalition of Citizens Against Galamsey held a three-day protest, calling for an end to illegal mining and the release of detainees.
They also petitioned the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources regarding the issue.
