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Open Society Foundation supports #FixTheCountry's activism with 50k dollars

Open Society Foundation has given popular Ghanaian civil rights activism group, #FixTheCountry, a 50,000-dollar support to boost its activities.

FixTheCountry

This financial assistance was announced by one of the group’s conveners, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, on his Facebook page with a promise to give further details later.

The Open Society Foundation was established by American billionaire George Soros, who supported the Black Lives Matter campaign that hit the United States of America following the killing of a 46-year-old black man, George Floyd, by a 44-year-old white police officer, Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020, in the city of Minneapolis, triggering anti-racism protests across the globe.

The foundation which was set up in 1993, gives financial support to civil society groups around the world, with a stated aim of advancing justice, education, public health and independent media.

Barker-Vormawor, in the Facebook post, to announce the financial support, expressed hope that it would be a shot in the arm of the #FixTheCountry movement.

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"I am happy to announce that #fixTheCountry has been awarded 50,000 dollars by the Open Society Foundation.

"The foundation was established by American billionaire George Soros, who has in the past supported the Black Lives Matter. Details to be released in a press conference soon.

"Our work continues," Barker-Vormawor wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, May 17, while in a police cell at Madina following his arrest by police in Accra in connection with an alleged traffic regulation violation.

News of his arrest broke on Tuesday, May 17, with claims of his whereabouts not being known.

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However, Oliver himself took to his Facebook page to reveal that he was being "held in cells at the Madina Court".

According to him, he has been charged with "careless and inconsiderate driving" and needed two sureties to secure his bail.

"Neho! I am currently being held in cells at the Madina Court. My phone still with me," Oliver disclosed.

"Very Bizarre that I had never been arrested in life. Yet, In just one year of #FixTheCountry activism, I have already been arrested three times.

"I have also already been sued three times, twice by the Ghana Police Service, and by the Electoral Commissoner.

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"Anyway, it must all be a coincidence. I’m sure. No one is above the law, except the President," he lamented.

Barker-Vormawor is currently on a GH¢2 million bail following his earlier arrest in February this year in connection with a Facebook post he had made in which he vowed to stage a coup if the e-levy was passed into law by parliament.

The social activist was subsequently charged with a treason felony and is facing trial.

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