The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tong Defa, has asserted that Ghana “can never eliminate” illegal mining, known locally as galamsey. Instead, he argues, the focus should shift to managing its severe environmental impact. Addressing journalists at a media interaction at his private residence in Accra on Thursday, June 19, Ambassador Defa directly attributed the deepening galamsey crisis to Ghanaians, rather than Chinese nationals. He insisted that local individuals are the primary facilitators of these illicit activities. “To my understanding, in this country, you can never eliminate those small mines. Those mines, you will have illegalities involved them,” Ambassador Defa stated. He continued, emphasizing a policy shift: “We need to find ways to solve this problem… The government needs to work on a policy to eliminate the pollution of waters and forests.” The Ambassador notably dismissed the prevalent perception that Chinese nationals are at the core of Ghana’s illegal mining operations. He expressed frustration with this common association, lamenting, “I don’t understand why when people say galamsey, they equate it to Chinese.” He clarified, “actually, it is not Chinese. It didn’t originate from China. Chinese nationals cannot obtain licences or get permits. It is the Ghanaian people who throw the Chinese people over here.” Ambassador Defa suggested that many Chinese nationals arrested for illegal mining are merely migrant labourers, brought into Ghana by local actors seeking to exploit the mining sector for quick financial gain. “Some of those who were caught red-handed are just migrant workers… I have a social media and when I post on X, people tag me with galamsey as if galamsey is caused by China. It is unfair to me. It is really unfair to me and to the majority of Chinese,”