Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Kojo Bonsu, has revealed that the Chinese government is angered by the involvement of some of its nationals in illegal mining activities in Ghana.
According to him, some Chinese nationals arrested for illegal mining enter Ghana through what he described as “the back door” and operate outside the country’s legal mining framework, contributing to the environmental damage caused by galamsey.
“And the Chinese government is very angry about all those issues. These are people who come through the country through the back door,” he said.
Ambassador Bonsu explained that such individuals do not go through the required licensing processes, including the Minerals Commission, to obtain the necessary authorisation to mine legally and responsibly. He said they instead use dubious means to extract gold, causing significant damage to Ghana’s environment.
He further disclosed that the Chinese government had taken steps to address the involvement of its nationals in illegal mining by directing Guangxi Province to work closely with the Ghanaian government to tackle the problem.
The move forms part of China’s broader commitment to supporting Ghana’s efforts to combat illegal mining, following high-level discussions between President John Dramani Mahama and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the issue.
The Ambassador stressed that Ghana’s objective was not to discourage Chinese investment in the mining sector but to attract genuine investors who would operate responsibly, transfer technology and contribute to local development.
“So they are trying to come to Ghana to cover all those issues of Guangxi, so that they do what you call responsive mining. Our number one goal is to bring investors. But if we say investors, we mean genuine investors who bring good money, and will be socially responsible to look after our people, bring technology for us to have a new system to learn,” he said.
He noted that major Chinese mining companies operating in Ghana, including Chifeng Gold Group, Shandong Gold and Zijin Mining, represented the type of responsible investment Ghana was seeking.
“But I can assure you that all those good companies coming into Ghana through us are responsible. They are going to do what you call responsible mining. That would not affect the environment,” he added.
His comments come as Ghana intensifies efforts to deepen mining cooperation with China while pushing for greater value addition, technology transfer and environmentally responsible mining.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who was in China for the 28th China Mining Conference and Exhibition in Tianjin, called for a new generation of Ghana-China mining partnerships focused on processing, technology, skills development and industrialisation.
Mr Buah also placed environmental sustainability at the centre of Ghana’s mining agenda, calling for stronger cooperation with China in areas including mine reclamation, tailings management and land restoration.
China has previously expressed opposition to illegal mining by its nationals in Ghana. In 2024, a Chinese government working team urged Chinese nationals engaged in illegal mining to stop the activity, comply with Ghanaian laws and move into legitimate industries, while a team from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was sent to Ghana to assist with the issue.
In April 2026, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Cong Song also reaffirmed Beijing’s position that China does not endorse illegal mining, during a meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The latest discussions therefore come against the backdrop of Ghana’s continued crackdown on galamsey and its efforts to ensure that foreign investment in the mining sector contributes to economic development without worsening environmental degradation.
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