The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tong Defa, has sparked national controversy by claiming that Ghana “can never eliminate” illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. Instead, he believes the country must focus on managing its environmental impact. During a media interaction at his private residence in Accra on June 19, the ambassador attributed the worsening galamsey crisis to Ghanaians rather than Chinese nationals, asserting that locals are the ones facilitating these illegal activities.
“To my understanding, in this country, you can never eliminate those small mines. There will always be illegalities involved,” he stated. “We need to find ways to address this problem. The government should work on policies to reduce the pollution of waters and forests.”
His comments come at a time of renewed national outcry over the environmental destruction caused by galamsey. Civil society groups, including the Ghana Coalition Against Illegal Mining, have called for more robust action against the financiers and political figures behind the illegal trade.
Ambassador Defa dismissed the common perception that Chinese nationals are at the centre of illegal mining operations in Ghana. “I don’t understand why when people say galamsey, they equate it to Chinese,” he stressed. “Actually, it is not Chinese. It didn’t originate from China. Chinese nationals cannot obtain licences or get permits. It is the Ghanaian people who throw the Chinese people over here.” He suggested that many of the Chinese nationals arrested for illegal mining were migrant labourers, brought into Ghana by locals looking to exploit the mining sector for quick financial gain.
“Some of those who were caught red-handed are just migrant workers… I have a social media and when I post on X, people tag me with galamsey as if galamsey is caused by China. It is unfair to me. It is really unfair to me and to the majority of Chinese,” he lamented. Ambassador Defa further highlighted the significant role Chinese companies play in Ghana’s infrastructure development.
“A lot of your projects are built by Chinese companies. Your roads, your ports, etc., are built by Chinese companies. Do any normal Ghanaian people know about this?” he asked. His remarks are expected to fuel an already heated national debate on foreign involvement in Ghana’s illegal mining sector and the government’s enforcement efforts.
By: Collins Frimpong
