Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tong Defa, has stirred national controversy by asserting that Ghana "can never eliminate" illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, and must instead find ways to manage its environmental impact.
Addressing journalists at a media interaction held at his private residence in Accra on Thursday, June 19, the envoy blamed Ghanaians-not Chinese nationals-for the deepening galamsey crisis, insisting that locals are the ones facilitating the illegal activities. "To my understanding, in this country, you can never eliminate those small mines.
Those mines, you will have illegalities involved in them," he said. "We need to find ways to solve this problem… The government needs to work on a policy to eliminate the pollution of waters and forests." The ambassador's comments come amid renewed national outrage over the environmental devastation caused by galamsey.
Civil society groups, including the Ghana Coalition Against Illegal Mining, have called for stronger action against financiers and political actors behind the illegal trade.
