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As Ghana struggles with a serious galamsey crisis that has devastated its water bodies and forest reserves, the Chinese government has sent a strong warning to its citizens living there, urging them against engaging in illicit mining operations.
In recent weeks, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has reported an increasingly dire water situation, blaming illicit mining operations for contaminating important water supplies.
Due to pollution from galamsey activities, the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant is not getting enough raw water, as the firm has revealed, posing an imminent threat to the water supply in Cape Coast, Elmina, and other areas.
In a recent news conference, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Tong Defa discussed these concerns and acknowledged that some Chinese citizens are involved in illicit mining, but emphasized that the Chinese government opposes these activities.
“I know there are some Chinese involved in this illegal mining but we discourage them,” Mr. Tong stated.
He brought up a meeting that took place in 2018 between President Akufo-Addo and the President of China, during which it was decided that any Chinese nationals involved in illicit operations in Ghana would be held legally responsible under Ghanaian laws.
“We discourage Chinese people from doing this illegal mining,” the Chinese envoy pointed out.
The growing dissatisfaction with inadequate actions taken to combat galamsey has also prompted Organized Labor to take forceful action.
The organization sent a strong warning to the government on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, threatening a statewide strike by the end of September if prompt action is not done to address the worsening situation.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
