Minister for Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, has called out Larry Madowo, a CNN International correspondent and host of the African Voices Changemakers and Playmakers series over his report on the arrests of some persons during the recent anti-galamsey demonstration held from Saturday, 21 to Monday, 23 September 2024, by the Democracy Hub, in the nation’s capital, Accra.
In a post on X handle on Thursday, 26 September 2024, the information minister, while reacting to a video report by Madowo expressed her displeasure with how the CNN journalist chose to report the arrest of the 39 persons. She accused the CNN journalist of being biased in his report because he reported only one side of the story.
“I’ll be watching Ghana’s president speak in New York this morning as police in Accra continue to detain peaceful protestors against illegal mining. People are rallying under #FreeTheCitizens after Ghanaian police violently broke up 3 days of #StopGalamseyNowprotests,” Larry Madowo wrote on his X handle.
“Dear @LarryMadowo, Please do well to check and report on both sides of a story when making publications that impact a country’s image. Ghana has always supported citizens’ right to demonstrate peacefully.
“However, acts of vandalism, attacks on police, and disruptions to public order will always be contained by the Police in any jurisdiction,”Fatimatu Abubakar, the information minister wrote in response.
“Ghana’s courts are also mature enough to examine evidence against accused persons and make appropriate decisions,” the information minister’s post further read.
On 21st September 2024, the demonstrators unlawfully assembled at the 37 Intersection and engaged in the following acts, among others, which caused extreme inconvenience to the general public, particularly the motoring public.
The unlawful protest led to the “blocking of the intersection in all directions with vehicles, stones and logs, causing massive vehicular traffic across the city, setting fire in the intersection, harassing and attacking road users including Military and Police officers, abusing Police and Military officers, banging on vehicles, playing football on the road and causing unlawful damage.”
“In all, 54 persons were arrested and all of them have been put before the court in line with the due process of the law. The case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General,” an official Police communique indicated.
