“Our citizens involved should be dealt with” -Chinese gov’t backs Ghana’s efforts to fight galamsey

The Chinese government has issued a stern warning to its citizens in Ghana, urging them to refrain from participating in illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.

The warning comes in response to the worsening environmental damage caused by illegal mining, which has severely polluted water bodies and destroyed forest reserves in Ghana.

As the country grapples with a growing water crisis, the Ghana Water Company has attributed the contamination of vital water sources to the activities of illegal miners. In an interaction with journalists, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, acknowledged that some Chinese nationals are involved in the illicit operations but reaffirmed that the Chinese government does not support such activities.

Ambassador Tong also emphasized that Chinese nationals who violate Ghanaian laws should be held accountable. He recalled a 2018 meeting between President Akufo-Addo and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where Xi assured Akufo-Addo that any Chinese citizen found engaging in illegal mining in Ghana would face legal consequences.

“I know there are some Chinese involved in this illegal mining [galamsey] but we discourage them.

“I accompanied President Akufo-Addo to Beijing when he met our President in 2018, our President told him that ‘if any Chinese committed any illegal sins here in Ghana, you should hold them accountable to your laws’. So we discourage Chinese people from doing this illegal mining”, Tong stated.