The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Kenneth Ashigbe has called on government and law enforcement agencies to strengthen the country’s laws to prosecute persons including foreigners who engage in illegal mining to serve as a deterrent to others.
President Akufo-Addo over the weekend described government’s decision to deport Aisha Huang, a Chinese National known for her engagement in Galamsey activities, as a mistake.
Speaking at the third Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme organized by the National Commission for Civic Education’s environmental dialogue in Kumasi on Tuesday, Mr. Ashigbe stated that Ghana as a country has sent a bad signal to foreigners for its inability to prosecute Aisha Huang.
“Last year in December, we petitioned the Attorney General when she issued the nolle prosequi, saying to her that deciding not to prosecute this woman who is a practitioner in this criminal act will demotivate the forces who were putting their lives at stake, and also the ordinary Ghanaian who would want to volunteer information so that these people are arrested.”
“By this, what you are doing is that you are saying to the foreigners that Ghana is open for illegality. Come into this country, rob us, rape us, we will applaud you, and all we will do is to ask you to go away,” he stated.
He also demanded that Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies and other relevant state institutions be held accountable in protecting the environment.
The issue of Aisha Huang has been one of the top stories that has been lingering in the country since last year.
The Chinese national, commonly described by Ghanaians as the ‘galamsey queen’ was sent back to her country after state prosecutors dropped the trial against her and four other Chinese nationals for engaging in illegal mining activities in the country.
The decision to stop the trial was backed by some individuals including Secretary for the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, Charles Bissue, who claimed that decision saved the country a lot of money.
President Nana Akufo-Addo in recent times said that “I think the decision to deport Aisha Huang in hindsight was a mistake and that is why that process and procedure is being stopped.”
He said this at a forum at Princeton University during his visit to the United States of America.
Whereas others praised the President for being humble enough to accept that the decision was wrong, others like AROCHA Ghana, an environmental conservation organization described his comments as shocking and unfortunate.