Ghana has witnessed the highest diplomatic disrespect of the highest order committed by GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi and Dr. Hannah Bissiw, one that risks not only derailing international diplomacy but also perpetuating a dangerous narrative that scapegoats foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens, for a deeply rooted local problem.
The recent arrests of 10 Chinese nationals by a self-appointed “GoldBod Taskforce” led by Sammy Gyamfi in Asankragua is a textbook example of how state institutions are increasingly resorting to populist showmanship rather than lawful, diplomatic, and strategic enforcement.
This is brewing nothing but unnecessary fear and panic.
Does it mean Ghana wants all Chinese out of their country as it stands??
Let’s be clear: the environmental devastation caused by galamsey is real, and it must be addressed. But we must also ask: on what legal authority does GoldBod — a taskforce whose operational basis is shrouded in ambiguity — conduct arrests, seize property, and parade foreign nationals in press conferences?
Is GoldBod now an extension of the BNI? National Security? EOCO? Or has it become a freelance vigilante outfit operating under the guise of patriotism?
The Dangerous Optics of Media Trials
Sammy Gyamfi, a lawyer and the Communications Officer of the opposition NDC, has positioned himself as some kind of law enforcement czar.
He paraded arrested Chinese nationals before the media with damning claims of gold smuggling, money laundering, and illegal residency — all without trial, legal representation, or confirmation of due process. Since when did Ghana start prosecuting people in the court of public opinion? Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence?
The optics are not only reckless — they’re diplomatically damaging. The failure to even engage the Chinese Embassy before such drastic action is a gross disregard for international norms.
Ghana’s government cannot, on one hand, beg Beijing for debt restructuring and infrastructure aid, and on the other, allow populist figures to harass and humiliate Chinese nationals without due process.
These are people who were arrested at the Chinese Market doing genuine Casino business and the facts should not be twisted in any way.
Foreigners as Convenient Scapegoats
The recurring theme is clear: Ghanaian officials are far more comfortable going after visible, foreign faces than dealing with the entrenched local collaborators.
Let’s not pretend Chinese nationals flew into Ghana, chartered excavators, and found mining concessions all on their own.
They are brought in, often misled and licensed by local middlemen and facilitators — many with links to the Minerals Commission.
Why are these facilitators never exposed?
Who at the Minerals Commission continues to grant or look away from illicit permits? Who helps these so-called illegal miners acquire land, equipment, and transportation in rural Ghana?
Instead of addressing these questions, we focus on low-hanging fruit — migrant Chinese workers — most of whom are acting under the assumption that their business is licensed and legitimate.
The Chinese Ambassador, Tong Defa, has rightly pointed out that these nationals are not the root of the crisis. Rather, they are exploited participants in a system run by Ghanaians.
The Broader Diplomatic Context
It is the height of irony that just last week, Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson was in China negotiating for debt restructuring — a lifeline for Ghana’s struggling economy.
Yet, even as our leaders court Chinese goodwill in Beijing, we persecute their citizens in Ghana with little regard for protocol, diplomacy, or consistency. If this isn’t hypocrisy, what is?
How are we expecting fruitful bilateral outcomes when the message we send is that Chinese nationals are safe only when their money is needed?
What’s worse, even Chinese businesses engaged in clean, legal, and well-regulated ventures are now vulnerable to harassment, suspicion, and arbitrary raids. Who speaks for them?
So where is National Security Boss Richard Jakpa, Commander Abu of the Anti-Galamsey Taskforce, as well as Commander Usman in all of these?
It is alleged that One Col. Robert Tali sanctioned the operations upon Sammy Gyamfi’s request.
A Selective and Politicized Crackdown?
Sammy Gyamfi’s recent stunts raise even more uncomfortable questions. Who gave him the mandate to storm private homes and declare foreign residents criminals? Why is there no official oversight or statement from the Attorney General, Interior Minister, or National Security Minister?
And why this sudden interest in targeting Chinese nationals — especially after another public spectacle just days earlier involving Hannah Bissiw’s accusations?
Is this part of a broader, politicized campaign against Chinese presence in Ghana? Is it a deflection from the government’s own complicity in failing to properly regulate the mining sector?
Unanswered Questions for GoldBod and the Government
- What legal mandate does GoldBod have to operate as a law enforcement body?
- Why was the local police at Asankragua not involved in the operations?
- Were search and arrest warrants obtained before raiding private residences?
- Why was the Chinese Embassy not notified before the arrests were publicized?
- Who are the Ghanaian business partners and facilitators of the arrested Chinese?
- Why are Minerals Commission officials still issuing or overlooking illegal licenses?
- What protections exist for foreign investors operating within the law?
Conclusion
The fight against illegal mining must be strategic, holistic, and lawful — not performative and xenophobic.
While environmental protection is non-negotiable, it must not come at the cost of turning Ghana into a hostile ground for diplomatic partners.
If this continues, the damage to Ghana’s international reputation, investor confidence, and foreign relations — especially with China — will far outweigh any temporary political points scored through media parades and populist press conferences.
We must stop treating foreign nationals as pawns in our domestic political games.
The true enemies of the state are not those in foreign passports, but those in local offices who feed off the chaos and corruption in the mining sector.
They must be exposed, prosecuted, and removed — not hidden behind a smokescreen of nationalist chest-beating. Justice, not sensationalism, must drive the fight against galamsey.
Author: Daniel Benin || Investigative Journalist, OHIM TV
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