A prominent Ghanaian protest group known for its fiery demonstrations against government inaction on illegal mining and economic hardship has escalated a public feud by filing a high-profile defamation lawsuit against Nana Kwame Bediako, the flamboyant businessman and former independent presidential candidate better known as Cheddar.
Democracy Hub, the organizer behind viral campaigns such as #FixTheCountry, #OccupyJulorbiHouse, and the recent #StopGalamsey protests, announced on November 17 that it had lodged the suit at the High Court in Accra.
The group, along with several individual members, including lead organizer Oliver Barker-Vormawor, accuses Bediako of making “false and malicious” statements that portrayed their activism as a front for partisan political interests, specifically tied to one of Ghana’s major parties.
About The Controversy
The controversy traces back to late September 2024, in the heat of the #StopGalamsey protests — a three-day demonstration in Accra demanding tougher action against illegal small-scale mining, which has devastated rivers and forests across the country.
The protests turned chaotic, with clashes between demonstrators and police leading to dozens of arrests and widespread criticism of heavy-handed tactics by security forces.
In a series of viral social media videos posted on September 25 and 26, Bediako — then still campaigning as an independent challenger to Ghana’s entrenched two-party system — weighed in critically.
Without naming a specific party, he suggested the protests were orchestrated for electoral gain ahead of the December 2024 elections.
“I am not going to mention names, but you know that Julorbi and Fix The Country were fixed by one of the existing parties,” Bediako said in one clip, referring to Democracy Hub’s earlier campaigns.
“We cannot do this to ourselves and destroy this country because of a politician’s personal interest or a party interest. … This is not about galamsey; this is about political interest.”
He urged Ghanaians to “do your research” and criticized the lack of involvement by mining stakeholders, while distancing himself from street protests altogether, emphasizing patience and ballot-box solutions.
Democracy Hub swiftly rejected the insinuations as baseless.
It argued that such claims not only tarnish the reputations of its organizers but also undermine the broader legitimacy of civic activism in a democracy where youth frustration with unemployment, corruption, and environmental degradation runs deep.
The plaintiffs are seeking general damages for defamation, including compensation for injury to reputation, distress, and loss of public confidence, according to court documents cited in local media reports.
They also want a court-ordered retraction and apology from Bediako.
No Response from Cheddar
As of November 18, Bediako — who ran on a platform of economic self-reliance and industrialization under his New Force movement — has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
His 2024 campaign, marked by flashy branding and an appeal to young voters disillusioned with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), ultimately fell short, with former president John Mahama reclaiming power in a decisive election.
Democracy Hub has positioned itself as a nonpartisan watchdog since emerging in the early 2020s amid economic crises, including hyperinflation and an IMF bailout.
Its protests drew accusations from government sympathizers of hidden agendas, even as they galvanized public support on issues like galamsey.
Critics of the group, including some in the previous administration, have pointed to confrontational tactics — such as road blockades during demonstrations — as evidence of ulterior motives.
Supporters, however, praise Democracy Hub for filling a void left by traditional opposition politics, amplifying voices in a country where youth unemployment hovers above 12 percent and environmental scandals persist.
This article was edited with AI and reviewed by human editors
