Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the Convenor of FixTheCountry, has cried out once again about the illegal mining menace commonly known as galamsey.
According to Vormawor, living in Ghana is so scary due to the destruction being caused by illegal miners.
The social activist highlighted that the entire Galamsey conversation has focused on how to turn brown rivers clear again, but not how to deal with the mercury deposits in our food and water.
He asserted that the galamsey gold is for a few, but it is a health risk for all Ghanaians.
In a social media post on X, Vormawor wrote, “Isn’t it crazy how in the entire Galamsey conversation we are focused on how to turn brown rivers clear again.
But no one is giving us a road map to how we deal with the mercury deposits in our foods and water now. Whats the clean up plan? Whats the health risk and impact assessment? Whats the galamsey-related illnesses diagnostics? What’s the Ghana Health Service strategy?”
He added, “Living in this country is so so scary. Gold for a few, cancer for us all.
Anyway, this morning my the protest starts from spanner junction. Near Accra Mall”.
In related news, the FixtheCountry main protest march is set to take place on Monday to draw greater attention to the worsening environmental crisis caused by galamsey and pressure the government to take decisive action.
Oliver Baker Vormawor, addressing the crowd at the vigil, stated, “They will continue to do what they are doing, but we will keep the hope alive, because today it takes one individual, tomorrow another person will walk the mile with you.
We have come here today, tomorrow we will show up again, and we will do the march because it is important that we do, and we are not discouraged”.
He added, “For four years, we were fighting for the right of citizens to stand before the seat of government and demonstrate, and for four years, everything they reigned on us they did. Even in the court, they said Christmas is for merry-making, so we can’t even protest.
Those who were convicted, we wanted to overthrow the government; we are here with them. Let persist and let win”.
Additionally, the FixtheCountry movement yesterday, 21 September 2025, rejected pleas from Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, Mustapha Gbande, for a suspension of the vigil.
The Fix the Country movement converged on Revolution Square in Accra for their vigil, and scores of activists showed up to the event.
Speaking to the gathering, Mustapha Gbande stated, “I am here to plead with you that, at least if the purpose is served, can we call it off and allow ourselves to go and rest? The President has left for the UN General Assembly”.
Mr Gbande revealed that the government will arrange for the leaders of the protesters to meet the Minister of Lands for them to be briefed on the galamsey fight.
However, the group rejected Mr Gbande’s appeals outright, hooting at him as they continued their vigil.
Some of the demonstrators stated, “Please, leave us and let us have our peaceful demonstration.”
Others could be heard hooting and shouting, “Away, Away, Away!”
According to them, the government has not done much to address the menace.
One protester said amid chants from the crowd, “If Ghanaians were convinced of what the NDC government said, we wouldn’t be here. So please leave here, let’s exercise our right in peace. NDC leaders, please leave here. We are going to send you a petition tomorrow.
We are going to engage you tomorrow, so please leave. Away! Away! No political party here. We don’t want to see any political party here. We are not here to engage any political party.”
Another stated, “Anyone mentioned in that galamsey report by Prof Frimpong-Boateng, in any serious jurisdiction, all those criminals, those thugs are supposed to be cooling off in Nsawam Prison. Stop going after those little boys in the pit. Go after the real kingpins”.
“To be honest with you, the President has disappointed us. Eight months into your government, we’ve not seen any action, but each day the Ghana Police are arresting the small boys,” one angry protester said.
“Very soon there will be no water flowing through the taps,” a protester warned.
“This protest is not about any political party or their interest, it’s about our common survival as a people. The President is becoming a disaster if he doesn’t act fast and hard on galamsey,” the protester stated.
See the post below:
Isn’t it crazy how in the entire Galamsey conversation we are focused on how to turn brown rivers clear again.
— Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor (@barkervogues) September 22, 2025
But no one is giving us a road map to how we deal with the mercury deposits in our foods and water now. Whats the clean up plan? Whats the health risk and impact…