The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Lu Kun, has called on government to tighten its laws against foreigners including Chinese who are involved in illegal mining.
He said the governments of Ghana and China can blacklist such individuals and ban them from traveling.
The Chinese Ambassador said this when he called on the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, in Accra.
Ambassador Kun said Ghana and China have over 60 years long standing relations and it will be unwise to allow a few individuals to destroy these good bilateral relations.
He said the Chinese government will do everything possible to support the government of Ghana to protect its environment.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, was emphatic that the laws of Ghana prohibit foreigners from engaging in small scale mining. He said while some of the Chinese are involved in small scale mining, the method they use also pollute the country’s river bodies which is a major problem government is dealing with.
Mr Jinapor said the two countries must work together to resolve the involvement of Chinese in the illegal small scale mining industry.