Apex Citizens of Ghana, a civil society group of Ghanaians in the diaspora, is concerned about how foreigners, notably Chinese, can enter our nation and engage in illegal mining, often known as galamsey.
A member of the group, Peter Yeboah, says our political leaders have failed to demonstrate leadership in handling the issue of galamsey.
He said that despite the negative impact of galamsey on the environment, human life, and national security, our leaders have no clue on how to handle the situation.
Speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he posited that it is mind-boggling how these Chinese move to Ghana and break our laws with impunity while our leaders watch unconcerned.
“There is enough proof to show that foreigners are actively involved in galamsey in Ghana. The question one would ask is: how do these foreign nationals get the opportunity to enter our country, breach our laws, and engage in galamsey? When you raise these concerns, people attack you and accuse you of belonging to a political party. I am not aware of any of these parties. These Chinese enter Ghana all the time and engage in galamsey. We have proof that the Chinese and other West African nationals are also engaging in galamsey.
These individuals sometimes kill people. And use them as sacrifices for their galamsey activities. I have read in a document that was shared on Facebook that Chinese nationals migrate to Ghana in their millions. Who will grant them visas to Ghana so they can destroy our water bodies? Who gave them the visas to come to Ghana and do what? What are the job opportunities in Ghana tat they come in their millions to do?”
According to him, we cannot sit unconcerned when we have laws that ban the activities of illegal mining.
He suggested that if we continue to have illegal mining activities in Ghana while our leaders sit unconcerned and participate in them, we should prosecute.
“If we have leaders who sit unconcerned and watch our laws breached with impunity with the active participation of leaders, then we should also be bold and prosecute these leaders who are complicit. When they are in office, we may not be able to prosecute them. But when they are out of office, we should prosecute them. We cannot continue to have leaders in office, and yet we keep witnessing this mess and canker of galamsey,” he told host Kwabena Agyapong.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
