The FixTheCountry movement has announced plans to hold a vigil and public demonstration in Accra later this month to protest the ongoing environmental damage caused by illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.

The movement’s convenor, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, disclosed the plans in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, calling for urgent collective action to confront what he described as a growing environmental crisis.

The vigil is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 21, at Revolution Square in Accra, with a protest march to follow on Monday, Sept. 22—a national holiday in Ghana.

“The responsibility to protect and preserve the environment is by divine assignment, ours as a people,” Mr. Barker-Vormawor wrote. “Our responsibility to end galamsey does not end at elections. Nor does it begin after our party loses one. This is bigger than petty politics.”

Galamsey—unauthorized small-scale gold mining—has become one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental challenges. It has led to the pollution of major water bodies, destruction of forests, and degradation of farmlands across mining communities.

FixTheCountry, a prominent civic movement that has consistently criticized successive governments for inadequate enforcement and political interference in anti-galamsey efforts, says the demonstrations aim to refocus national attention on the issue.

Mr. Barker-Vormawor characterized the situation as an “environmental crisis of urgent proportions” and called on Ghanaians from all walks of life to participate in the events.

“On Sunday 21st September, we will have a vigil at Revolution Square, and on Monday 22nd (a holiday), there will be a march, calling attention to the urgency of our environmental crisis,” he said.

The planned events underscore the movement’s growing emphasis on environmental advocacy and its broader critique of governance and public accountability in Ghana.

Source:TheDotNews