Kweku Baako pokes Osafo Maafo on 'galamsey queen' comment, asks him to apologise

The Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr has described as a blunder comments made by Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo.

The senior Minister courted controversy when he tried explaining why Aisha Huang, popularly known as 'Galamsey Queen', a Chinese national known for her exploits in illegal mining was deported.

Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo who was speaking at a recent town hall meeting in the U.S. justified the decision to truncate the prosecution of Aisha Huang, saying "So, when there are these kinds of arrangements, there are other things behind the scenes. Putting that lady (Aisha) in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems”

The explanation was after a participant at the meeting sought to find out why 'Galamsey Queen' was only deported after she was arrested by authorities.

Speaking to this during a panel discussion on Joy Newsfile programme, Saturday, Kweku Baako said the explanation given by Mr Osafo Maafo was ‘unwarranted’ and asked him to apologize and retract.

According to him, it is a fact that the deportation of the Galamsey Queen will not solve the country's economic problem but saying it like that creates a credibility problem for the ruling government.

“such an inappropriate communication, it was a gaffe” he said adding: "if he wanted to deal with the question he was asked, he should have given the legal response and left it there. It is true that jailing one person will not resolve Ghana’s economic problem but jailing her would enhance that culture of deterrence that we seek to grow...that’s why he ought not to have brought in all these...It’s difficult to defend him on this course and perhaps he may have to do the honourable thing; an open apology and retraction, it may help him".