China and Ghana, Africa’s largest gold producer, are embroiled in a diplomatic row over the rampant downside of unlawful gold mining, often called “galamsey”.
As world gold costs soar, a rising variety of Chinese language corporations are investing billions of {dollars} in Ghana’s profitable gold sector. Nonetheless, the alleged involvement of Chinese language nationals in illicit mining operations has ignited main debate.
It has prompted the Chinese language ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, to push again towards accusations that Chinese language nationals are solely responsible for the unlawful mining exercise.
He stated Chinese language nationals couldn’t acquire native mining licences and have been typically introduced in by Ghanaians who facilitated the unlawful mining operations.
“The problem didn’t originate from the Chinese language. A few of those that are even caught red-handed are merely migrant staff attempting to make a dwelling,” Tong informed native media in Ghana final week.
He stated the “notion is unfair to me, personally, and to nearly all of Chinese language nationals right here”.
