President Nana Akufo-Addo has dismissed accusations that the recent arrests of 53 protesters are part of a broader effort to suppress dissent in the country.
During an interview with France 24 on October 4, he firmly stated that he supports peaceful demonstrations as a fundamental aspect of democratic expression.
This response follows the detention of 53 individuals who took part in protests against illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, a practice that has wreaked havoc on Ghana's environment, especially its rivers and forests.
Akufo-Addo distanced himself from the judicial process surrounding the arrests, explaining that Ghana's courts operate independently from the executive branch. "I am not responsible for jailing people in Ghana, The courts in Ghana are independent institutions and they have been so through the Fourth Republic.