The running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has expressed deep concern over the arrest and detention of 40 participants of the Democracy Hub demonstration.

The former Education Minister has described the situation as a harsh treatment and has therefore called on government to end persecution.

In a statement, Prof Opoku-Agyemang bemoaned the manhandling of protesters, arrest, starvation, and denial of access to family and legal counsel by the police, along with the subsequent remand of some protesters by the Accra Circuit is alarming.

Criticising the development, she questioned the government’s sincerity in its proclaimed fight against illegal mining and the destruction of water bodies and forest reserves.

According to her, authorities must shift their efforts towards tackling illegal mining, which she noted is severely harming the country’s water resources, health, cocoa farms, and food security.

“It is incongruous that those actively behind illegal mining are freely walking about and smiling all the way to the bank while protesters who are concerned about the harmful impact of illegal mining are rather being suppressed,” part of the statement read.

She further urged the government to desist from suppressing the right of Ghanaians to protest, especially as protests are fundamental to human rights.

“These feudal, authoritarian and early-century reactions by the government to a peaceful protest have no place in a 21 century democracy. The government must therefore immediately end the persecution of the protesters and unconditionally release those in custody,” the statement noted.

Prof Opoku-Agyemang added that ,the government should take a cue from the NDC’s pledge to properly train illegal miners and give them expert mining advisory services.