Some members of the Fix the Country movement converged on Revolution Square in Accra on Sunday, September 21, 2025, to begin a vigil aimed at pressuring government to intensify its fight against illegal mining, widely known as galamsey.
The event, part of the group’s sustained campaign against environmental destruction, drew scores of activists who vowed to continue until concrete measures are taken by authorities.
Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, Mustapha Gbande, appeared at the grounds to appeal to organisers to call off the vigil.
He explained that President John Dramani Mahama had travelled outside the country for the United Nations General Assembly and suggested the gathering be suspended to allow room for further engagements.
Mr Gbande added that government would arrange for the leadership of the movement to meet with the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to be briefed on ongoing interventions, stressing that the fight required collaboration between citizens and state institutions.
The group, however, rejected the appeal outright, hooting at Mr Gbande and insisting on continuing their vigil. They argued that government had shown little political will in tackling the menace and stressed that civil action was necessary to protect Ghana’s water bodies, forests, and farmlands. The standoff underscores growing public frustration over galamsey, which many view as an existential threat to the country’s environment and long-term survival.
