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In a fiery press conference held at the Ghana International Press Centre on Sunday, 29th September 2024, Alan Kyerematen, presidential candidate of the Afrafranto Alliance, took a bold stance against the ongoing detention of young protesters who participated in the Democracy Hub demonstrations.
The protests, which aimed to spotlight the government’s failure to tackle illegal mining (Galamsey), led to the arrest of several young Ghanaians. Mr. Kyerematen condemned the authorities for what he called “unlawful and unconstitutional” treatment of the protesters.
According to Alan Kyerematen, the youth, who were exercising their constitutional rights to protest, have been unfairly charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and unlawful assembly. He expressed his dismay at the Ghana Police Service’s handling of the situation, questioning how the police could supervise a three-day demonstration only to turn around and bring charges of unlawful assembly.
“It is beyond my wildest imagination how this happened,” Kyerematen stated emphatically.
The head of Afrafranto also attacked the police for how they handled the demonstrators after they were arrested, saying that they had been refused access to food, drink, medical attention, and legal representation. He bemoaned the police’s inept and illegal handling of the demonstrators who were being held, describing it as a misuse of authority that jeopardizes the fundamental rights of every Ghanaian citizen.
Kyerematen’s harsh words were directed at the legal system as well. He questioned the courts’ refusal to release the young people under arrest on bond, claiming that the misdemeanor charges against them do not call for an extended period of incarceration. In order to stop more injustice, he called for a prompt review of the bail denial and referred to the judiciary’s action as a “abuse of judicial discretion.”
Alan Kyerematen brought out the alarming tendency of intolerance towards opposing viewpoints under the present NPP administration during his address. He forewarned that Ghana’s democracy is under danger due to the culture of fear and sycophancy that is spreading, especially in the run-up to the December elections.
“Let it not be said that our generation stood by unconcerned as the dark clouds of chaos and anarchy began to gather in our beloved country,” Mr Kyerematen stated.
The Afrafranto candidate’s speech was a defense of youth as much as a critique of the larger political environment. He further inflamed popular resentment by criticizing the NPP and NDC for failing to stop illicit mining and the environmental damage it has created. He explained that the demonstration was a sign of more serious structural issues, including the government’s incapacity to create employment and optimism for the future.
Kyerematen underlined that the Attorney General bears the burden of redressing this injustice while the kids languish in detention. He urged Godfred Dame, the Attorney General, to submit a request for Nolle Prosequi to end the case, emphasizing that treating Ghana’s youth fairly is essential to the country’s democratic future.
Kyerematen showed support for the young people and referred to them as the “heroes of our time” in a stirring speech. He promised to fight with them to reclaim their rights and put an end to the Galamsey threat, assuring them that their sacrifices would not be in vain.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
