Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced reforms to visa processing procedures for Chinese nationals, as part of a renewed effort to tackle illegal mining commonly known as galamsey.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, 15th September, the Minister reiterated Ghana’s strong and longstanding relations with China but made clear that illegal activities perpetrated by certain individuals cannot be tolerated.
“We have very great relations with China and, to be fair to the Chinese, a lot of them are doing good business, they are investing in transformative projects,” Mr Ablakwa said.
“There is no official Chinese government policy to come and destroy our environment.”
However, he acknowledged that a small but persistent number of Chinese nationals have been involved in illegal mining operations in Ghana an issue that has become a national concern.
As part of his recent official visit to China, Mr Ablakwa travelled to a province “notorious” for sending nationals to Ghana to engage in galamsey.
In a high-level meeting held in Nanning, Guangxi province, the Minister said he delivered a firm message on behalf of President John Mahama.
“I did not mince words at all,” he said. “I really stated President Mahama’s position that this cannot continue.”
Mr Ablakwa revealed that Ghana’s embassy in Beijing and consulate in Guangzhou have introduced strict new visa protocols.
With immediate effect, group visa applications from Chinese nationals are no longer being accepted.
“That’s the new policy. Everybody must show up for an interview… if you are coming for a conference, an excursion whatever you must all produce yourselves individually and apply individually,” he declared.
“There is a strict directive: no more group processing of visas,” the Minister added, noting that this decision was one of the outcomes of the meeting held in Guangxi.
He noted that this forms part of a broader government clampdown on illegal mining.
“I can assure you that we are dealing with this matter very fairly, in our national interest,” said Mr Ablakwa. “Because this galamsey menace is really a menace that all of us must confront.”