The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tong Defa, has claimed that Ghana “can never eliminate” illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.
He believes that the emphasis should instead be on addressing its significant environmental consequences.
During a media interaction at his private residence in Accra on Thursday, June 19, Ambassador Defa pointed out that the worsening galamsey issue is primarily due to Ghanaians, not Chinese nationals.
He maintained that local individuals are the main enablers of these unlawful activities.
“From my perspective, in this country, you can never completely eradicate those small mines. There will always be illegalities associated with them,” Ambassador Defa remarked.
He also noted that many Chinese nationals who have been arrested for illegal mining are simply migrant workers, brought to Ghana by local individuals looking to take advantage of the mining industry for quick profits.
“Some of those who were apprehended are just migrant laborers… I have a social media account, and when I post on X, people tag me with galamsey as if it is a problem caused by China. That is unjust to me. It is truly unfair to me and to the majority of Chinese.”
Source: HotFmOnline.com
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