The #FixTheCountry Movement is gearing up for a massive street protest on May 1, 2025, to call out what it describes as the government’s failure to address the environmental devastation caused by illegal and irresponsible mining activities across Ghana.
The protest, symbolically titled “May Day, May Day”, will coincide with International Workers’ Day and is being framed as an urgent cry for help amid a worsening national crisis. Lead convener Oliver Barker-Vormawor announced the protest during an interview , expressing deep frustration over the state’s continued silence and inaction.
“We’ve seen this government act swiftly on other issues when it chooses to. But on illegal mining, there’s no clear plan, no accountability, and no urgency,” Barker-Vormawor said. “People say we should be patient, but how much longer must we wait while our rivers die and our forests vanish?”
The movement argues that the national conversation must move beyond the legality of mining to confront the broader issue of responsibility—pointing fingers not just at illegal miners but also at state-sanctioned corporations whose operations continue to wreak havoc on the environment.
“It’s not just the illegal operators,” he emphasized. “Some of the so-called legal mining companies are equally guilty—clearing vast forest lands and polluting water bodies. The government enables this destruction by handing out huge concessions, yet the local communities remain poor. That, too, is galamsey.”
Barker-Vormawor also disclosed that his law firm, together with seven environmental organizations, has taken legal steps to stop mining in protected forest reserves. However, the case has stalled due to what he claims is government deception in court—allegedly misrepresenting the status of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which allows mining in forest reserves.
In defence, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, reported that since President Mahama’s return to office in January, 76 illegal miners have been arrested and over 100 excavators seized. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka-Mubarak has ordered the transfer of all police commanders in mining zones as part of a renewed crackdown on galamsey.
Yet, the #FixTheCountry Movement insists these steps are not enough.
“We’re seeing piecemeal actions while irreversible damage continues daily. This is a national emergency. The time for half-measures is over,” Barker-Vormawor said.
As the countdown to the May 1 protest begins, the movement is calling on Ghanaians to join in demanding real, lasting change—before the country’s natural heritage is lost beyond repair.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson #ahotoronline.com
