Court strikes out motion to block protest against illegal mining
An Accra High Court has struck out a motion filed by the Ghana Police Service that sought to prohibit a planned protest against illegal mining in Ghana.
The court’s decision follows a prayer by Assistant State Attorney David Bachem, acting on the orders of the Attorney General, for the motion to be withdrawn.
This latest decision by the court paves the way for the anti-galamsey protest which is expected to come off on April 28 this year.
One of the conveners of the group, a known media personality, Okatakyie Afrifa, said the initial motion to prohibit the protest was a move borne out of bad faith.
The protest is expected to start from Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah circle in Accra, through the Ring Road, and then conclude at the Liberation Square opposite the Jubilee House.
It is expected to commence at 4pm on April 28, through to 12:00am on April 29.
In the motion filed and subsequently withdrawn by the police, they had urged conveners of the planned protest to relocate the end point of the demonstration since the Liberation Square and the Jubilee House remain security zones.
The police also raised concerns regarding the timing of the demonstration, which they argue will cause serious gridlock in the city of Accra in terms of public order, inconvenience motorists, and disrupt the delivery of essential services.
