Treat Chinese illegal miners humanely - Chinese Gov't

The Chinese government has asked the Ghanaian counterpart to deal mildly with Chinese nationals arrested for engaging in illegal mining.

According to the Chinese, although the Ghana government must enforce its laws on mining, it must be done with a human face especially when dealing with the Chinese nationals.

The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Gong Jianzhong said this when he addressed journalists at a news conference in Accra on Tuesday.

The Ambassador, flanked by the Deputy Director of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the media that a Chinese delegation in the country had held two “fruitful” meetings with the government of Ghana on that subject.

The Ambassador said it was during one of the meetings that they had an agreement with the government to deal “mildly and humanely” with their people.

Explaining further, he said it was agreed that the operation of government’s taskforce on illegal mining is not targeted at the Chinese nationals.

Foreign nationals arrested for engaging in small-scale mining have been deported to their various countries by the Ghana Immigration Service.

According the Ambassador the Chinese deportees are made to face some form of punishment back home.

Gong Jianzhong said the Chinese government acknowledged the fact that illegal mining in Ghana is unacceptable, and has therefore told its nationals not to engage in unlawful activities.

Ghana’s mining laws have also been translated into Chinese so that those in the country are abreast with the laws so that they don’t break them.


Source: Myjoyonline.com