Chinese Ambassador to Ghana says Ghana can’t eliminate galamsey, blames locals for the crisis, not Chinese nationals
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tong Defa, has made waves with his candid comments on the country’s galamsey crisis. Speaking at a media interaction in Accra, Ambassador Defa expressed his views on the complexity of the issue, stating that completely eliminating galamsey might be a challenging task.
According to the ambassador, the solution lies in finding ways to manage the environmental impact of galamsey, rather than solely focusing on eradication. He emphasized the need for the Ghanaian government to develop effective policies to mitigate the environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
Ambassador Defa also shed light on the role of local facilitators in the galamsey crisis, attributing the illegal activities to Ghanaians who facilitate and profit from the trade. He suggested that many Chinese nationals arrested for galamsey are often migrant workers brought into the country by locals seeking to exploit the mining sector.
The ambassador’s comments come amid renewed scrutiny of foreign involvement in Ghana’s mining sector. While some have accused Chinese nationals of being key players in the galamsey crisis, Ambassador Defa argued that this perception is unfair and inaccurate.
In fact, Ambassador Defa highlighted the significant contributions of Chinese companies to Ghana’s infrastructure development, including the construction of roads, ports, and other critical infrastructure projects. He questioned why these contributions often go unnoticed, while the issue of galamsey dominates the narrative around China-Ghana relations.
The ambassador’s remarks are likely to fuel the ongoing national debate on galamsey, foreign involvement, and the government’s enforcement efforts. As Ghana grapples with the environmental and economic impacts of illegal mining, Ambassador Defa’s comments offer a nuanced perspective on the issue and the need for a comprehensive approach to address it.”
