As part of efforts to curb illegal mining in Ghana, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has held high-level talks with authorities in Nanning, China, to address the roots of Chinese involvement in galamsey.
In a Facebook post, Ablakwa stated that he had a “frank and positive” engagement with a delegation led by Guo Wei, Vice Mayor of Nanning, during his working visit to China.
The meeting comes on the back of confirmed data showing that the majority of Chinese nationals involved in Ghana’s mining sector—particularly in illegal operations—hail from Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China.
Ablakwa, who is in China on official business, used the opportunity to convey the Mahama administration’s renewed commitment to fighting illegal mining, locally known as galamsey. He underscored the government’s intent to ensure that both Ghanaians and foreign nationals found culpable face “severe punishment.”
“The Mahama government is resolved to ruthlessly combat galamsey. We are determined that locals and foreigners alike do not escape severe punishment when caught engaging in illegal mining,” he said.
The discussions also focused on practical ways to raise awareness within Nanning about Ghana’s stringent new sanctions and how potential galamsey operators can be discouraged from embarking on the journey in the first place.
Ablakwa said that the Ghanaian government has introduced new visa restrictions as part of a broader strategy to “weed out the bad nuts” and to safeguard the country’s environment, particularly its rivers and ecological sanctity.
Both parties, he stated, reached a consensus to foster a new chapter of responsible and legitimate business relations, built on mutual respect and strict adherence to Ghanaian laws.
“There is a shared commitment to change the narrative and usher in a new era of strict, responsible, and legitimate business partnerships as Ghana pursues a reinvigorated economic diplomacy,” Ablakwa added.
The meeting is expected to set the tone for deeper bilateral cooperation between Ghana and China in the area of environmental protection and law enforcement, especially within the small-scale mining sector.
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