#FixTheCountry convener and activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has expressed deep disappointment at organizers of the “Galamsey Must Fall” demonstration.
The activist spoke his mind after organizers the ‘Galamsey Must Fall’ protest, a march which was originally planned as a three-day protest against illegal mining activities (galamsey) in Ghana decided to suspend the protest on the second day.
Barker-Vormawor criticized the decision to cancel the protest because of low attendance, emphasizing that true conviction and urgency are demonstrated by persistence even in the face of setbacks, as seen in previous demonstrations where small numbers and arrests did not deter participants.
“I have just found out that the Galamsey Must Fall demonstration has been called off. It was supposed to be a 3 day demonstration. My heart is heavy. Is this how we lose the fight—just because people didn’t show up? We once stood with only 60 people for three days. People were arrested on Day 1, and more came on Day 2, willing to be arrested too. Then came Day 3. That’s what conviction looks like. That’s what urgency feels like. But now? We cancel because the numbers didn’t look good?”
He emphasized that, the fight against galamsey is not about clout or political capital, but about preserving Ghana’s environment and future.
“We must be honest with ourselves. If we say we care about this country, then we must act like it. This fight isn’t about clout. It’s not for political points. It’s about the environment—the land, water, and future we all depend on. When the last tree falls, we won’t eat hashtags,” he added.
Barker-Vormawor also urged the organizers and the broader activist community to reflect not only on what went wrong but on how to build a stronger, more unified movement. He called for collaboration across NGO lines and civic spaces, stressing the need for a larger, better-planned march in defense of the environment.
The Generational Rights Protection Society has suspended its planned protest scheduled for today, Tuesday, April 29.
The group had intended to continue its demonstration, which began on Monday, April 28, to demand urgent action against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Following a closed-door meeting with the Accra Police Command, the group said the police requested a suspension to allow further engagement and determine a new date.
“We thank the police very much for collaborating with us throughout the protest. Precisely today, Tuesday, April 29, we were supposed to converge where we ended the demonstration and continue day two, but just this morning [Tuesday], there was a call that came through the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, together with the police command at the Accra region, the message is very simple ‘they pleaded with us for the day two to be postponed for them to be able to adequately prepare.”
He added, “We all know the stress we went through, but regardless, we have agreed and accepted their plea. The Deputy Attorney-General also pleaded on behalf of the government because the pressure is coming on them as well.”
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