Katanga Fellowood threatens naked demo against galamsey

A group identified as Katanga Fellowood has announced plans to embark on a naked demonstration in Accra over the pollution of river bodies by activities of illegal miners.

“Tertiary institutions must join this fight. The Twitter boys can’t win this galamsey battle alone. Katanga is ready by the way! Imagine all of us captured by the police and placed in one cell. We go shit spoil there all,” the group wrote in a post on X.

The group requested support to acquire logistics to bus Fellows from all 16 regions in Ghana to embark on the naked demonstration.

Per reports, some netizens are already supporting the group with money to facilitate their travel from Kumasi to Accra.

Meanwhile, the Katanga Alumni Association has distanced itself from the pending demonstration.

“The Katanga Alumni Association does not recognize Katanga Fellowood and is not affiliated with any demonstrations or contributions related to it. Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. Katanga Alumni is not responsible for any actions or outcomes,” it wrote in a post on X.

This recent development comes after a 3-day protest by Democracy Hub against illegal mining activities in the country. The Police arrested several individuals for lawlessness. The charges include conspiracy to commit a crime, unlawful assembly, causing unlawful damage, offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace, and assault on a public officer, along with an additional charge.

The total number of demonstrators currently remanded by the Accra Circuit Court has risen to 50.

Despite the mining sector’s economic contribution, environmentalists and health professionals have raised alarms about the environmental degradation caused by illegal mining, also known as galamsey. 

Rivers such as the Bonsa in the Western Region and the Pra in the Ashanti Region have suffered severe pollution due to toxic chemicals used in mining activities. Forest reserves, including the Tano Nimiri in the Western North Region and the Draw River in the Western Region, have also been heavily impacted.

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