Crack the whip on Chinese Galamsey operators - Otumfuo

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei II has charged the Ashanti regional Immigration Service to crack the whip on foreigners who flout laws especially Chinese nationals engaging in small scale mining activities in the region.

He observed that Galamsey operators have destroyed water bodies in the region and the country at large.

He tasked Immigration personnel to ensure that other foreign nationals doing businesses in Ghana comply with the business laws of the country.

Otumfuo said this at Manhyia Palace when the Interior Minister Prosper Bani and Inspector General of Police (IGP) John Kudalor and other security chiefs called on him as part of the Minister’s working visit in the region to access the security situation in the region ahead of the 2016 election.

"Immigration Service personnel should be vigilant because African Union (AU) has approved free movement within Africa. Ensure that foreigners have good intention of visiting Ghana and that foreigners doing business in Ghana obey the laws of the land particularly Chinese nationals engaging in small scale mining, because Ghanaians cannot take Chinese laws into their hands when they visit China.

The last time I had a chat with the Chinese Ambassador I told him that we hold nothing against them but they should go by our laws so that we also reciprocate same. They shouldn’t use it against us for deporting Chinese nationals who cause mayhem. We should work closely together with them so that when their nationals flout our laws, we can deport them easily," he said.