Nana Akomea has strongly criticized the organizers and participants of the Democracy Hub protest, which took place on Friday, September 20.
The protest, aimed at urging the government to take stronger action against illegal mining (galamsey), ended in disarray after the police intervened to restore order. The demonstrators defied police directives and engaged in acts of vandalism near the 37 Military Hospital.
Protesters blocked the road, preventing commuters from passing, and their leader, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, escalated tensions by forcibly removing the keys from a police vehicle and throwing them away. This provoked the officers on the scene, who arrested several participants, including Barker-Vormawor, who is now in police custody awaiting prosecution.
Nana Akomea, Chief Executive Officer of InterCity State Transport Corporation, praised the Ghana Police Service for maintaining their calm and professionalism despite the protesters’ provocations. Speaking during a panel discussion on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo,” he commended the police for showing restraint and handling the situation appropriately.
“I am happy that the Police were restrained and calm for us to see the misbehavior of the people during the demonstration,” Akomea remarked. He also questioned the logic behind the protesters’ actions, saying, “All Ghanaians have seen that the misconduct of these people calls for arrest for them to face the law. Is that how to do a demonstration? To block a hospital?”
Akomea emphasized that the behavior of the protesters was unacceptable and deserved legal consequences.