Jianzhong cautions illegal Chinese miners

Gong Jianzhong, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, has called for a comprehensive strategy and moratorium that will prohibit local miners and chiefs from selling their small-scale mining licences as well as lands to illegal Chinese miners.

He also called on the Ministry of Lands & Natural Resources to critically evaluate the operations of holders of small-scale licenses and put in place an effective mechanism to protect farmlands to help address the ‘galamsey’ menace in a holistic manner.

Mr Jianzhong, who made the call when he paid a courtesy call on Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, Minister of Lands & Natural Resources at his office in Accra dismissed suggestions that Ghana-China relation was in distress over the activities of illegal Chinese miners even though he conceded that the problem was assuming alarming dimensions.

The Chinese envoy revealed that his government had embarked on an elaborate education campaign to caution Chinese miners who hail mostly from the Shanglin County in Southern China, to refrain from travelling to Ghana to engage in illegal mining.

According to him, the government of China was in support of efforts by government of Ghana to address the influx of illegal Chinese miners into the country.

The Chinese Ambassador was accompanied by Yu Jie, Head of the Political Section of the Chinese Embassy in Accra. The incidence of numerous Chinese nationals operating illegal mining sites in the country is high and this calls for an immediate solution to address the problem.

Commenting on the submission, Alhaji Fuseini reiterated government’s commitment to flush out all unauthorized Chinese miners and other illegal operators in the small mining sector in Ghana to avert the looming environmental crisis.

He also intimated that the growing security and environmental challenges posed by illegal Chinese miners was creating “a bad public image for China in Ghana, which could damage the growing friendship between Ghana and China.”

“Ghana has forged an enviable bilateral relations with the Republic of China and we will therefore not allow illegal Chinese miners to jeopardize or mar a flourishing friendship which has provided immense benefits to both countries particularly Ghana,” he said.

The minister further advised Chinese miners to initiate steps to secure appropriate license to establish legitimate large-scale enterprises in Ghana and revealed that some Chinese companies have already been granted exploration licences.

The minister intimated that Ghana cherishes its excellent relations with the Republic of China forged in the early post-independence era between Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah and Chairman Mao.

He revealed that Ghana was taking lessons from the social development strategies pursued by China in a bid to replicate the unprecedented growth experienced by the Republic of China in Ghana.