Introduction
As Ghana prepares for general elections on 7th December 2024, the country has experienced political tension and instability. In October 2024, the speaker of the Parliament suspended the legislature after several Members of Parliament (MPs) switched political party allegiance. The suspension brought the country to a halt, as the government is not able to pass or enact any laws ahead of the elections.
Previously, in July 2024, the government passed a gender equality law - long sought after by women’s rights advocates and civil society. The Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act 2024 aims to safeguard the possibility for women to assume key positions in government, security, commerce and other decision-making bodies. The bill sets targets for gender representation, aiming for 30 percent by 2026 and 50 percent by 2030 for appointments in public offices and governance positions, while also requiring gender-responsive budgeting.
Expression
Journalists attacked
On 16th October 2024, followers of Bishop Elisha Salifu Amoako assaulted journalist Murtala Inusah, a court correspondent with the Accra-based Excellence in Broadcasting (EIB) Network. The journalist was reporting on the Bishop's court hearing over an accident involving his under-age son, when Inusah was attacked and had his phone seized. A court police officer reportedly intervened but was also attacked.
On 20th October 2024, three journalists with the Multimedia Group Limited were attacked by armed private guards for Edelmetallum Resources Limited, a mining company near Manso Nkran in the Ashanti region. The journalists were reporting on the mining activities and related environmental damage.
Peaceful Assembly
The reporting period was marked by several protests in the country, namely addressing issues such as illegal mining, environmental degradation and the rising cost of living.
Court bans protest actions
On 31st July 2024, a high court honoured a police request to ban organisations from mobilising for protests over the high cost of living, corruption and other socioeconomic issues, which had been planned for 31st July to 6th August 2024. Police claimed to have insufficient resources to manage the number of planned protest actions.
Police clashes with protesters; 53 arrested
Between 21st and 23rd September 2024, people marched in #OccupyJulorbiHouse protests against worsening economic conditions, lack of accountability and mismanagement by the government, but also illegal mining, which causes environmental degradation. #SayNoToGalamsey (i.e. illegal small-scale gold mining) is part of these broader demonstrations. Environmental protesters demanded an immediate ban on illegal mining, strict enforcement of environmental laws and greater transparency and accountability of government agencies. The group Democracy Hub announced this three-day peaceful protest to the police services in July, thus three months in advance. However, the police refused, citing ‘public order, public safety, public health and the running of essential services’ as grounds to ban the planned protests. Although the organisers proposed alternative locations for the demonstrations, police continued to refuse permission to protest.
Despite the ban, protests took place. On 22nd and 23rd September 2024, after a peaceful day of protest on the 21st, police arrested 53 of the protesters, with police claiming the protesters incited clashes, destroyed property and acted inappropriately. Some of the protesters blocked parts of the road and burned flags of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). Thirty nine protesters were arraigned before the Accra circuit court and charged with the crime of unlawful assembly. In a statement, the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) condemned the unlawful tactics employed by the Ghana Police, and in particular the unnecessary manhandling of citizens exercising their right to protest; the refusal by the police to release the complete list of arrested individuals; and the denial of access to legal counsel for detainees, among others. The protesters were denied bail and were kept in custody for 12 days awaiting their judgment. The leader of the protest, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, was among the arrested (see Association below). Thirty two of the arrested protesters filed a complaint against the Attorney General for violations of their fundamental freedoms.
The LPD provides an update on its efforts to find the accused persons arrested in connection with the Democracy Hub protest. @OleleSalvador @GhLawTrends @gyaigyimii @freecitizensgh @jeffwellz pic.twitter.com/WJWZH5KRBf
— Noah E. Tetteh (@NoahAdamtey) September 30, 2024
From 3rd to 5th October 2024, new protests were organised in Accra, with an additional demand: the release of the arrested protesters, with the hashtag #FreeTheCitizens trending.
On 11th October 2024, hundreds of people marched again through Accra in a peaceful protest against unlicensed gold mining. They took part in an "environmental prayer walk" that involved handing a petition to the president’s office calling for a ban on informal mining.
Socioeconomic issues and other ills ignite protests
On 8th June 2024, hundreds peacefully protested in Accra over the ongoing issue of power outages in the country.
On 18th June 2024, hundreds participated to the ‘Hands Off Our Hotels’ protest in Accra against the sale of shares of four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust to an hotel belonging to the Minister of Food and Agriculture. Police intervened when the protesters approached the seat of the government, using tear gas and pepper spray, leading to injuries among several individuals.
Opposition leaders called for protests on 18th September 2024, bringing thousands to the streets. The opposition has demanded the government conduct an independent forensic audit of the electoral lists, citing concerns over irregularities.
Protest to demand speeding up of anti-LGBTQI+ bill cases
On 8th October 2024, MP Sam George and lead advocate of the draconian anti-LGBTQI+ Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, adopted by Parliament in February 2024, led a protest in front of the Supreme Court to demand an expedited determination of the legal challenges initiated against the bill and to put pressure on the Chief Justice to prioritise these legal challenges The bill harshens prison sentences for consensual same-sex conduct and criminalises advocacy for LGBTQI+ rights. As reported previously on the Monitor, two separate lawsuits challenging the anti-LGBTQI+ bill were introduced in the Supreme Court. One, from academic and gender activist Amanda Odoi, argues that it breaches government procedure, as Article 108 of Ghana’s Constitution states that only the executive can introduce a bill that will impose a cost on the state. The other lawsuit, from journalist and lawyer Richard Dela Sky, claims the law violates several constitutional protections. The President is yet to sign the controversial bill into law, his office citing these two pending cases. The demonstration’s aim was to put pressure on the Chief Justice to prioritise the case. The Association of Magistrates and Judges condemned the protest as inapproriate as the legal process must be respected.
Association
On 16th October 2024, the Accra High Court granted activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor bail, in the sum of 20,000 Ghanaian cedis (approximately 1,270 USD) and two sureties, in relation to protest actions in September 2024 against the environmental damage, including pollution, caused by illegal mining, locally known as galamsey (see Peaceful Assembly). According to police reports, Mr Barker-Vormawor was apprehended for engaging in unlawful activities during the 21st to 23rd September protest, although details are still under investigation. Oliver Barker Vormawor pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including unlawful assembly and assault on a public officer. Previously, the courts rejected three requests for provisional release. Ghanaians have called for his release as well as for dozens of others, under the social media campaign #FreeTheCitizens. Lawyers filed a petition with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice for violations of the right to peaceful assembly.