Chinese ‘Galamsey Queen’ still mining illegally – Inter-ministerial taskforce complains
Despite facing prosecution for illegal mining, the Chinese woman, Aisha Huan appears to be far from giving up the trade.
A special operation on Monday by an inter-ministerial taskforce at a mining site said to belong to her in the Ashanti Region, led to the arrest two persons and confiscation of six excavators.
Some three weeks ago, the team seized three excavators at the site at Bepotenten Amansie Central District.
Luv FM reporter, Erastus Asare Donkor joined the task force and reports that Rivers Oda and Offin look milky and dirty.
“A casual look at the water gives little or no hope of survival for marine life. Tubes lead in and out of the water, pumping mud and chemical residue from illegal mining sites. Deep in the forest of Amansie Central, the devastation is huge, despite government’s ban on small-scale and illegal mining still in force,” he reported.
An Accra High Court, earlier this year, ordered the arrest of Miss Aisha Huang for engaging in illegal mining.
She and three others are currently standing trial.
The Inter-ministerial taskforce, however, says she’s back into mining with impunity, hiding behind her Ghanaian collaborators.
Upon seeing the team, on Monday, the Chinese miners fled the scene and left behind their Ghanaian workers, one of whom was picked up.
A Ghanaian accomplice who was later arrested, confirmed working for Miss Aisha Huang but will not disclose her whereabouts.
“I and my workforce we work for Mr. Bonsu, Arko and Aisha the Chinese woman,” he told Luv News.
The team also destroyed water pumping machines and other equipment at the site.
Two Leaders of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce, Muniru Ahmed and W/O Isaac Nyarko, expressed shock at the impunity with which the Chinese national defies a mining ban by Ghana government.
“Aisha owns this site. We came here last three weeks and we found three excavators. We sent them to Obuasi. We came today and we have found another four excavators. That means they are still mining and we are still looking for that Aisha.
“And if she knows how to hide, we also know how to search. One day we will get her and we will make sure the law deals with her,” Muniru told Luv News.
W/O Nyarko added: “A ground that they’ve operated just two weeks ago, and then the woman will just organise, come back and continue the same job and look at the mess she’s causing for the whole nation. Look at the mess! And I believe it’s not only this place.”
source: Myjoyonline