Ghanaians abroad protest at UN Headquarters over illegal mining, jobs and governance

“Ghanaians Abroad,” an association of Ghanaians in the diaspora comprising concerned citizens from across political parties, movements and associations, on Wednesday staged a demonstration at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, demanding greater accountability, transparency and action on a range of governance and development issues in Ghana.

The demonstration, held under the theme “GHANA AYƐ MMƆBƆ”, brought together participants from different countries and members of the Ghanaian community in the United States at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza near the UN Headquarters.

The organisers said the protest was aimed at drawing international attention to issues they believe require urgent action by the Government of Ghana and demanding measurable accountability for commitments made during the 2024 election campaign.

Ahead of the demonstration, one of the organisers, Kwasi Obeng-Fosu, told Asaase Radio that the group would focus on issues including freedom of speech, illegal mining, employment, education, the 24-hour economy, support for women-owned businesses and the automatic posting of newly qualified teachers and nurses.

At the demonstration, the organisers raised concerns about illegal mining and environmental destruction, particularly the continued degradation of Ghana’s forests and water bodies.

They called for stronger and measurable action to address illegal mining and greater accountability regarding government commitments to combat the practice.

The protesters also questioned why President John Dramani Mahama had not declared a state of emergency over illegal mining, a measure they said he had previously advocated while in opposition.

The group also scrutinised several campaign commitments, including the implementation of the 24-hour economy, which they said had raised expectations among unemployed young people.

The demonstrators questioned what they described as the absence of a clear implementation plan nearly two years into the administration and criticised the termination of some jobs created under the previous administration.

Other issues raised included automatic employment or postings for newly qualified teachers and nurses, the abolition of the double-track system in senior high schools, the proposed Women’s Development Bank and support for 10,000 businesses through the Adwumawura programme.

On the Women’s Development Bank, the organisers questioned the extent to which women-owned businesses were benefiting from financing under the initiative.

The protesters also raised concerns about freedom of expression, citing what they described as arrests, intimidation and alleged mistreatment of social media commentators and other citizens.

They questioned the circumstances surrounding the reported arrests of several women and raised concerns about the transportation of some suspects to the Adenta Circuit Court despite the existence of other circuit courts along their routes.

The organisers called for fairness and consistency in the application of the law, arguing that citizens should not feel threatened with arrest or imprisonment for expressing views critical of government.

They also raised concerns about reports of cocaine and other illegal drugs allegedly being trafficked from Ghana to other countries. The protesters questioned the circumstances surrounding such reports and called on the government to take measures to protect Ghana’s international reputation.

The organisers said their objective was not simply to criticise the government but to demand evidence of implementation, timelines for outstanding commitments and measurable outcomes.

They had indicated that a petition would be presented to Ghanaian representatives in the United States following the demonstration.

According to the organisers, the New York protest forms part of a broader accountability campaign and is not intended as an isolated event. They said they would continue monitoring the government’s response to the issues raised and document progress on outstanding commitments.

Speaking ahead of the demonstration, Obeng-Fosu described the protest as a peaceful effort to demand accountability and transparency and called on the government to deliver on its campaign promises and produce measurable results.