A group of Ghanaians living abroad has staged a demonstration near the United Nations Headquarters in New York, demanding greater accountability and transparency from the government over campaign promises and a range of governance and development issues.
The demonstration, held on Wednesday, September 23, under the theme “GHANA AYƐ MMƆBƆ”, brought together Ghanaians from different political parties, movements and associations at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza near the UN Headquarters.
The organisers said the protest was intended to draw international attention to issues they believe require urgent action and to demand measurable progress on commitments made during the 2024 election campaign.
Ahead of the demonstration, one of the organisers, Kwasi Obeng-Fosu, told Asaase Radio that the group would focus on freedom of speech, illegal mining, job creation, education, the 24-hour economy, support for women-owned businesses and the automatic posting of newly qualified teachers and nurses.
Illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, featured prominently during the protest, with the demonstrators expressing concern about the continued destruction of Ghana’s forests and water bodies.
They questioned why President John Dramani Mahama had not declared a state of emergency over illegal mining, recalling his previous calls for such a measure while in opposition.
The protesters also turned their attention to what they described as delays in fulfilling key campaign commitments, particularly the 24-hour economy.
They called for clear timelines, targets, and measurable outcomes for the policy, which they said had raised expectations among young people seeking employment.
The group also raised concerns about jobs created under the previous administration, which they alleged were terminated after the change of government. They questioned whether such actions were consistent with the government’s campaign commitment to job creation.
Other programmes and commitments cited included the proposed Women’s Development Bank, the Adwumawura initiative, the pledge to support 10,000 businesses annually, and the planned abolition of the double-track system in senior high schools.
The organisers said they wanted government to provide evidence of implementation, timelines for outstanding commitments, and measurable results rather than simply promises.
Freedom of expression was another major issue raised at the demonstration.
The protesters expressed concern over the arrest and prosecution of social media commentators and other citizens over statements they said were critical of the government.
They also questioned the circumstances surrounding the handling of some recent cases, including the transportation of suspects to the Adenta Circuit Court.
The organisers called for consistency and fairness in the application of the law, arguing that citizens should not feel intimidated from expressing views critical of the government.
They further raised concerns about recent reports of large quantities of suspected cocaine being trafficked from Ghana to other countries.
The demonstrators said the reports raised questions about Ghana’s international reputation and called for decisive measures to identify and dismantle networks involved in the illegal drug trade.
The organisers stressed that their objective was not simply to criticise the government but to demand evidence of progress on its campaign commitments.
They said a petition would be presented to Ghanaian representatives in the United States and that the demonstration marked the beginning of a broader diaspora-led accountability campaign.
The group said it would continue monitoring the government’s response to the issues raised and document progress on outstanding commitments, particularly in employment, environmental protection, education and governance.
