A protester at the recent #StopGalamseyNow demonstration has accused former President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo and other influential figures of being complicit in the illegal mining crisis, insisting that in any serious jurisdiction, they would already be behind bars.

Speaking during the second day of the protest on Monday, the demonstrator claimed that the real financiers of galamsey are well known but continue to walk free while only small-scale miners at the pits are arrested.

He cited the likes of Chairman Wontumi, Chief Executive of Akonta Mining, and names mentioned in both Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s galamsey report and international investigative pieces such as Al Jazeera’s Gold Mafia exposé.

The protester also accused former President Akufo-Addo directly, calling him “the worst president in the history of humanity” and arguing that he failed to live up to his reputation as a human rights lawyer.

"I expect this government, upon assumption of office, to actually go after these guys immediately and call for their prosecution. In any serious jurisdiction, these guys, who are the cause of this environmental genocide, should have been imprisoned. They are going after the little ones in the pits. They are not the sponsors of galamsey."

"In any serious jurisdiction, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo should have been imprisoned by now. He should be in prison. He is not bigger than this nation. We voted him into power, and he presided over the widespread destruction of our water bodies and forests," he insisted.

"Even $97 million meant for the Cathedral could have been used to build hospitals to treat galamsey-induced kidney problems,” he lamented.

He further urged the government to declare a state of emergency in all illegal mining areas and revoke small-scale mining licences issued in the last 15 years.

According to him, only radical action will protect citizens from the dire health and environmental effects of mercury poisoning and polluted rivers.

The protest, organised by the Democracy Hub, drew scores of citizens clad in black under the banner #StopGalamseyNow. Protesters say they will not relent until the government takes decisive steps against the destructive activity that has ravaged Ghana’s environment and livelihoods.