I deported 5K illegal Chinese miners, it didn’t destroy our relation with China – Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama says any Chinese who breaks the laws of Ghana must be made to face their full rigours as same will happen to Ghanaians who break the law in China.

He said he will not be surprised if there are some Ghanaians languishing in Chinese jails for breaking the laws of the Asian economic powerhouse.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with TV3‘s Alfred Ocansey, Mr Mahama said he had to deport almost 5,000 illegal Chinese miners and Boeing 747s were deployed by the Chinese government then to specially airlift its nationals back home.

This, he stressed, did not affect the good relationship Ghana had with China.

“When I was president, we valued the relations with China but if you are a Ghanaian and you go to China and you engage in illegality, they don’t say because of the good relation they have with Ghana, they are going to let you go scot-free.

“You are going to face the full rigours of the law in China and I don’t doubt that there are some of our citizens in jail in China.”

The three-time Presidential Candidate continued: “When I became President I was faced with this same illegal gold-mining.

“I deported almost 5,000 illegal Chinese miners. I didn’t say because of the good relation we have with China, we should allow them to continue to engage in illicit activities and we collaborated with the Chinese Embassies, they got 747s and they came and took their nationals away.

“It didn’t destroy our relationship.”

This comes in the wake of fears expressed about the prosecution of popular Chinese businesswoman Aisha Huang, who is standing trial at an Accra Circuit Court for engaging in illegal mining.

She was deported in 2018 based on fears that her possible incarceration could mar the good relationship between Ghana and China.

But almost five years after her deportation, she is said to have sneaked into the country with a Togo visa to continue  her illegal mining business.