“Ghanaians Abroad,” an association of patriotic Ghanaians in the diaspora comprising concerned citizens from across the political parties, movements and associations, on Wednesday staged a demonstration at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, demanding greater accountability, transparency and concrete action on a range of governance and development issues in Ghana.
The demonstration, held under the theme “GHANA AYƐ MMƆBƆ”, brought together participants from other countries and members across United States who gathered at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza near the UN Headquarters to draw international attention to issues they say require urgent action by the Government of Ghana.
The protest followed a call by organisers of the group “Ghanaians Abroad” to demand measurable accountability for commitments made during the 2024 election campaign.
Ahead of the demonstration, *one of the organizers,* Kwasi Obeng-Fosu told Asaase Radio that the group intended to focus on freedom of speech, illegal mining, jobs, education, the 24-hour economy, support for women-owned businesses and concerns about automatic posting of teachers and nurses.
Speaking at the demonstration, the organizers touched on galamsey and environmental protection
A major issue raised was the continued destruction of Ghana’s forests and water bodies through illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Organisers called for stronger and more measurable action to protect the country’s natural resources and for greater accountability regarding commitments to combat illegal mining.
They questioned why President Mahama has yet to declare a state of emergency over illegal mining, a measure he had previously called for under the previous administration.
Manifesto promises under scrutiny
The protesters also highlighted a number of campaign commitments that they said should be subjected to public accountability.
Among the issues raised was the implementation of the 24-hour economy, with the demonstrators expressing disappointment over what they described as delays in fulfilling a key campaign promise that had raised hopes among Ghana’s unemployed youth. They questioned the lack of what they described as a clear implementation plan nearly two years into the administration, and also criticised the government over the termination of jobs created under the previous administration during the early weeks of President Mahama’s tenure. They therefore questioned why a government that campaigned on job creation would terminate existing jobs rather than expand employment opportunities for young Ghanaians.
Other issues raised were the automatic employment or postings for newly qualified teachers and nurses, the abolition of the double-track system in senior high schools, the Women’s Development Bank and the support for 10,000 businesses through the Adwumawura. Government has failed to implement any after almost two years.
The organisers said their objective was not simply to criticise government but to seek evidence of implementation, timelines for outstanding commitments and measurable outcomes.
The organisers also raised questions about the implementation of the Women’s Development Bank, including whether women-owned businesses were receiving the financing announced under the programme.
On freedom of speech, the demonstrators also raised concerns about what they described as the arrest, intimidation and inhumane treatment of social media commentators and other citizens. They cited the reported arrests of several women across the country and questioned why some suspects were allegedly transported for hours to the Adenta Circuit Court despite passing other circuit courts along the way.
The demonstrators argued that such actions could have the effect of intimidating citizens whose views are critical of government. They questioned why, if members and ministers of the current governing party were able to openly criticise the previous administration without facing similar treatment, citizens under the current government should feel threatened with arrest or imprisonment for expressing dissenting views.
They called for fairness and consistency in the application of the law, urging the government to ensure that members of its own party who commit similar offences are treated in the same manner and that the principle of equal justice is upheld.
In their final statements, the demonstrators expressed concern over reports of large quantities of illegal drugs, including cocaine, being trafficked from Ghana to other countries. They questioned why such reports appear to be emerging under the current administration and asked what had changed.
They argued that Ghana’s international reputation, which they said had been built and protected over the previous eight years, should not be compromised within a relatively short period. The demonstrators therefore called on the government to take decisive action to prevent Ghana from becoming associated with international drug trafficking and to protect the country’s reputation on the global stage.
Petition and continued monitoring
The organisers had indicated that a petition would be presented to Ghanaian representatives in the United States following the demonstration.
They also said the demonstration marked the beginning of a broader accountability effort rather than an isolated event. According to the organisers, they intend to continue monitoring the government’s response to the issues raised and to document progress on outstanding commitments.
Speaking ahead of the protest, Obeng-Fosu described the demonstration as a peaceful effort to demand accountability and transparency, saying the organisers wanted government to return to its promises and deliver measurable results.
The successful New York demonstration therefore puts the spotlight on the group Ghanaians Abroad’s stated intention to keep Ghana’s governance, environmental protection, employment and campaign commitments under international and diaspora scrutiny.
The organisers say their next step will be to follow up on the concerns raised and assess the government’s response to the demands presented during the demonstration.
