The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Shi Ting Wang, has called on Ghanaians to stop blaming Chinese nationals for the galamsey menace in the country and rather urge the government to punish Ghanaians who aid the Chinese in the illegal activity.
According to him, his country is ready to work with Ghana to ensure that any Chinese involved in galamsey is arrested and prosecuted.
Mr. Ting Wang added that the Chinese Embassy and its government were sometimes surprised as to how some Chinese arrested for illegal mining were released back into the country without any communication with the embassy for their repatriation.
He indicated that even though he is aware of a small number of Chinese nationals involved in galamsey, no Chinese citizen can enter an area to mine without tacit involvement and support of Ghanaians.
“We don’t know where your gold is. We don’t issue visas too for the Chinese people coming to Ghana. Ghanaians issue the visas. Ghanaians aid the Chinese to where they can find your gold.
“How can we be able to do galamsey in your country…it is because of your own people…why are Chinese not doing illegal mining in South Africa where there is also a lot of gold…it is not possible…because the local people don’t support us but in Ghana some locals help the small number of Chinese people doing galamsey,” he told Journalists on Thursday.
He added “If you want to stop galamsey in your country, you have to start punishing your own people first, otherwise you cannot solve this problem because we don’t know where the gold is, you lead us, you show us.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
