Ghana: 42 Arrested After Protests Against the High Cost of Living

Protester Against Shield Police in Ghana , Sept 2024 Photo: @isumunna

September 23, 2024 Hour: 4:38 pm

A total of 42 protesters were arrested in Accra, the capital of Ghana, in a protest against the high cost of living and illegal mining, police said in a statement released on Monday by local media.

The protest, convened over the weekend by the Democracy Hub group, was settled on Sunday with the arrest of “42 people among the demonstrators” who participated in “various illegal acts,” said the Ghana Police Service in a statement.

The protesters, who had gathered “illegally”, were seen “attacking police officers performing their legal duties” as well as “disturbing the peace among others,” said police spokeswoman Grace Ansah-Akrofi.

“All suspects, including some of the group’s leaders, are in police custody and will be brought to court to face justice,” Ansah-Akrofi added.

It's the final evening of the Democracy Hub protest, and at exactly 6pm, the Ghana Police removed barricades at the 37 roundabout, allowing traffic to resume as demonstrators were no longer present. Our reporter, Jacqueline Ansomah Yeboah, provides an update on the… pic.twitter.com/l5GiMY6vva
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) September 23, 2024

In another statement, Democracy Hub “strongly condemned these actions of the Ghana Police Service” and demanded that they “respect the rights of all persons in their custody”.

“We urge all concerned citizens, civil society organizations and the international community to join us in demanding justice, transparency and humane treatment for all protesters,” added the organization.

The protest took place as the country prepares for presidential elections on 7 December.