Chants of “Free Salomey now! Free Salomey now!” rang through the AMA Park in Accra on Tuesday as scores of women marched to demand the immediate release of detained nurse Salomey Awiti Baffoe.
The demonstrators, under the banner of the Ghana Women’s Movement, gave President John Dramani Mahama a 24-hour ultimatum to intervene in the case.
The protest formed part of the “Women’s Voices Matter” demonstration, which was organised to demand justice, equality, dignity, and the protection of the constitutional rights of Ghanaian women.
The group marched from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Car Park to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, where a written petition outlining their concerns and demands for the protection of women’s rights and fundamental freedoms was presented to the Minister, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey.
The protesters included women drawn from political parties, markets, salons, dressmaking shops, offices and other sections of society, with male sympathisers also participating.
A major focus of the demonstration was the case of Salomey Awiti Baffoe, whose detention has generated public debate since her arrest over alleged links to the anonymous “Ghana Jollof” TikTok account.
Her lawyers have challenged her continued detention, while her family has denied that she is connected to the account.
The women called on President Mahama to act to secure Salomey’s release, insisting that women must be able to express their views and participate in public affairs without intimidation or arrest.
The movement had also raised broader concerns over what it described as the increasing intimidation, arrest, remand and imprisonment of women in connection with the exercise of their freedom of expression.
“Women cannot remain silent while other women are arrested, detained and imprisoned for speaking their minds,” the group said.
The protesters further demanded the full implementation of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, including measures to increase women’s representation and participation in decision-making.
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