Chinese ‘galamsey’ kingpin freed

A spooky Chinese woman said to be one of most notorious illegal miners in Ghana has been released barely a week after she was arrested by National Security operatives for flouting mining laws.

Asia Huang, 30, who is popularly known as Aisha by the locals, has suddenly become fabulously rich due to her nefarious activities.

Aisha’s excavators, which were also seized during the operation, have been released to her following an order by the Ashanti Regional Security Council (RESEC) which said investigations into the activities of the Chinese were inconclusive.

Ms Huang and her assigns have degraded lands, destroyed cocoa farms and polluted water bodies in several communities in the Amansie area.

The security operatives impounded her excavators and a pick-up that were being used for the illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’ on July 30, 2016.

At Gyaaman, six children died after they drowned in open pits filled with water.

Minister’s explanation

The action followed a decision by members of the Security Council to streamline activities to tackle ‘galamsey.

Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Andy Osei Okrah, who chairs a newly reconstituted anti-illegal mining committee, told DAILY GUIDE at his office that the operation by the National Security was not sanctioned by RESEC.

According to him, the operation was unilaterally sanctioned by the region’s former security liaison officer-Enoch Sarpong.

The minister explained that the Security Council released the excavators to the owners in order to conduct proper investigations to clamp down on illegal mining activities in the region.

On July 30, 2016, some operatives of the National Security – with assistance from officers at the Asokwa Divisional Police Command in Kumasi– raided Manso Tontokrom to clamp down on activities of illegal miners.

The illegal miners, including members of Aisha’s group, reportedly took to their heels upon seeing the police.

Two Chinese ‘galamseyers,’ Chen Bingin, 30, and Wu Xingqiang, 36, who were said to be working for the invincible Chinese woman, were also arrested, while 10 excavators which were being used for the illegal mining were seized by the combined team.

The Chinese woman has since resumed her activities, destroying cocoa farms in the area.

She was one of the several Chinese nationals who descended on Ghana when news spread in the Asian country about the abundance of the precious mineral in Amansie Central District.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that before joining hundreds of her compatriots to invade Ghana, the sexy Chinese lady was wallowing in poverty and could hardly feed herself in her native country.

According to local people, the fortunes of the Chinese woman have immensely improved in four years.

She now rides in flashy big cars and lives like an Arabia queen beyond her wildest dreams.

One of such operations, spearheaded by Roger Quarshie, a National Security operative, led to the seizure of her excavators at Manso Tontokrom.

Local residents in Gyaaman, Bepotenten, Yawkarikrom and Subima, all in the Amansie Central District, claim she undertakes her activities on concessions of mining companies under the protection of the police and military.