Some Ghanaian businessmen in China have complained about harassment from Chinese officials in what is seen as retaliation to the clampdown on illegal mining in Ghana.
Chinese nationals are heavily involved in illegal mining activities (galamsey) in Ghana and the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry has given a three-week ultimatum to illegal miners to cease their operations or risk confiscation of their equipment.
That ultimatum expires in less than 24 hours. However, some Ghanaian businessmen lament being disrespected and harassed at the airports in China, their goods confiscated without explanation. Joy News sources say over fifty consignments of goods bound for Accra were on Monday impounded by Chinese customs officials with some seventeen others having been seized over the last three weeks.
The situation according to some of the Ghanaian businessmen in China is a clap back following the renewed aggression in the fight against galamsey by Government of Ghana, civil society groups, and the media.
A Ghanaian businessman who has fallen victim to such high handedness from the Chinese customs officials told Joy News on condition of anonymity that goods bound for Accra are constantly being confiscated for no reason.
“I thought it was a generalized tightening of all their grips till an incident we had just about three weeks ago. At the last minute Chinese government comes, uses their China customs and just confiscates goods bound for Accra alone. I have had to follow them myself, every other day, and it is the same story,” he laments.
Following the anti-galamsey campaign, the Chinese warned of a bilateral row if government fails to tread cautiously. Meanwhile, President Nana Akufo-Addo has said Ghana will continue to have a cordial relationship with China as the fight against illegal mining continues.
He said Ghana, as a country does not hate the Chinese, nonetheless the laws governing foreign nationals in trade and business will be applied to the letter.
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