Barker-Vormawor condemns arrest of TikToker

Activist and Democracy Hub convener Oliver Barker-Vormawor has criticised the government over what he describes as misplaced priorities, questioning why social media commentators are arrested while illegal miners destroying Ghana’s water bodies remain at large.

In a post on Tuesday, September 15, Barker-Vormawor questioned the swift action by state security agencies against TikTok creators accused of false publication, contrasting it with what he considered the slow response to illegal mining and its environmental consequences.

“Why chase TikTokers while those poisoning our rivers go free?” he asked. His comments come amid reports of arrests involving TikTok creators over videos critical of government, while concerns continue to mount over the pollution of Ghana’s rivers and other water bodies by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Barker-Vormawor specifically referenced the Pra, Ankobra and Birim rivers, which have been affected by illegal mining activities. He argued that galamsey should not be treated as an unavoidable problem, insisting that government decisions and enforcement measures could determine whether the practice continued.

“I disagree... Galamsey is not some inevitable affliction. It's a policy choice we keep making. We can solve it. We just refuse to,” he wrote in response to suggestions that illegal mining cannot be eradicated. The activist has repeatedly criticised successive governments over their handling of illegal mining, accusing both the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration and the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of failing to demonstrate sufficient commitment to ending the practice.

In September 2024, Barker-Vormawor was arrested alongside about 40 others during an anti-galamsey protest at the 37 Intersection in Accra. He had also raised concerns about the treatment of foreign nationals linked to illegal mining, arguing that deportation without prosecution does little to ensure accountability. His criticisms extend to Legislative Instrument (L.I. 2462), which permits mining in forest reserves under certain conditions. He had called for its repeal and criticised the government over delays in fulfilling its commitment to do so.

Barker-Vormawor had further questioned the issuance of mining licences in recent years, arguing that authorities should take decisive action against licences associated with activities contributing to environmental destruction.

“If we can burn excavators, we can revoke licences,” he previously said, while calling for a moratorium on mining activities. He maintained that illegal mining was a problem that can be addressed through stronger enforcement, accountability and policy decisions. “We are facing an environmental crisis of proportions that none of us have ever imagined,” he said, highlighting the scale of the threat to Ghana’s water bodies.

Barker-Vormawor’s latest comments have renewed attention on the government’s approach to illegal mining, environmental protection and the enforcement of laws governing public expression. His central concern was that the state’s response to online publications appears more immediate than its efforts to hold those responsible for environmental destruction accountable.

The activist called for greater urgency in tackling galamsey, arguing that protecting Ghana’s rivers must remain a priority alongside the enforcement of laws governing social media content.