China Urges Ghana Government To Arrest And Prosecute Chinese Nationals Involved In Galamsey

• Tong Defa, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, has warned Chinese nationals in Ghana against engaging in illegal mining
• According to the ambassador, bilateral relations between China and Ghana are built on mutual respect, not lawlessness
• The ambassador urged the Ghanaian government not to spare any Chinese nationals caught engaging in illegal mining

The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, has warned Chinese nationals in Ghana against engaging in illegal mining amid the country’s worsening galamsey menace.

The Chinese ambassador’s warning follows recent calls for a more vigorous crackdown on illegal miners in the country whose activities have led to the depletion of large swathes of forest land and the destruction of water bodies.

According to Tong Defa, he is aware of some Chinese nationals' involvement in the illegal activity and warned that the Chinese government would not protect such individuals from facing the full rigours of Ghanaian law should they be caught.

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At a press conference in Accra on Friday, September 13, 2024, he said that the Chinese government discourages such activities and persons found guilty would be held accountable.

“So we discourage Chinese people from doing this illegal mining,” he said.

Tong Defa added that the Chinese government was also committed to assisting the Ghanaian people in addressing the illegal mining menace and supports bringing recalcitrant Chinese nationals to justice.

He said the China-Ghana relations are founded on mutual respect and cooperation and that such lawlessness should not be tolerated in both jurisdictions.

"We respect Ghana’s sovereignty, and we encourage all Chinese nationals to act responsibly,” he said.

Forestry Commission explains why Chinese escape jail

Earlier, the Forestry Commission explained why it has been unsuccessful at prosecuting Chinese nationals caught engaging in galamsey activities.

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According to George Agbenowoshi, the Deputy Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, the state has often been unable to provide court interpreters.

He said this has forced some courts to discharge Chinese illegal miners as without an interpreter, Chinese nationals cannot plead in court or testify in their cases.

Agbenowoshi disclosed this at a mini ceremony organised by Parliament to mark Green Ghana Day 2024.

He said, aside from the lack of interpreters to bridge the language barrier for Chinese offenders and the courts, the Forestry Commission has also been strapped for cash to fund the legal processes against these foreign nationals.

Agbenowoshi said this was being acutely felt in the district Forestry Offices which were notably understaffed.

Two Chinese nationals arrested

YEN.com.gh reported that two Chinese nationals have been arrested in the Western Region for their involvement in Galamsey.

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The Chinese illegal miners reportedly had stationed their machines on the river and were mining, with eight others fleeing the scene.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh