Awula Serwah, Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, has sharply criticised the Ghanaian government’s approach to dealing with foreign nationals involved in illegal mining—commonly known as galamsey—arguing that deportation without prosecution is unjust and counterproductive.
Her remarks follow recent comments by Deputy Interior Minister Ebenezer Terlarbi, who acknowledged that Ghana’s criminal justice and prison systems are overstretched, making it difficult to prosecute and incarcerate foreign offenders.
In a strongly worded interview, Madam Serwah condemned the current policy as dangerously lenient and fundamentally flawed.
“It’s astonishing that foreigners can come into Ghana, destroy our forests, pollute our rivers, commit ecocide, and instead of facing justice, they are flown home at our expense,” she said. “Meanwhile, Ghanaian citizens who commit the same crimes are arrested, tried, and jailed. That’s a blatant double standard.”
She warned that such a policy undermines the rule of law and signals to foreign actors that Ghana is unwilling or unable to enforce environmental protection laws. According to her, this approach risks emboldening more foreigners to exploit Ghana’s natural resources without fear of consequence.
“If illegal mining is truly an existential threat to our environment, then justice must be applied equally. Deporting offenders without trial sends the wrong message: that Ghana is soft on environmental crime,” Madam Serwah stated.
She described the policy as ineffective in deterring future offenses and highlighted its potential to encourage repeat violations. As a case in point, she cited the widely publicized case of Aisha Huang, a Chinese national who was deported for illegal mining activities but later returned to Ghana and allegedly resumed her operations.
While acknowledging the real challenges posed by overcrowded prisons, Madam Serwah stressed that this should not be used as an excuse to circumvent the justice system.
“There’s no guarantee that deportation ends the threat. The Aisha Huang case is proof of that. What we need is prosecution, sentencing, and proper enforcement—not shortcuts that effectively reward environmental destruction,” she argued. “If our prisons are full, we must explore temporary holding solutions, but the law must be upheld.”
Madam Serwah’s call underscores the growing concern among environmental advocates about the long-term implications of lenient policies toward illegal mining and the need for equitable and enforceable justice mechanisms in Ghana.
Source; theghanareport
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