Abraham Koomson, Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), has expressed support for remarks made by the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, regarding the involvement of Ghanaians in illegal mining activities. In an interview with GhanaWeb Business on June 24, 2025, Koomson asserted that many Chinese nationals engaged in galamsey have done so with the assistance of locals, questioning how these foreigners could locate and exploit the country’s mineral resources without local help.
Koomson criticized the Ghana Embassy in China for failing to conduct proper due diligence on the travel purposes of Chinese nationals entering Ghana, some of whom may have criminal backgrounds. He raised concerns about the ability of these individuals to occupy Ghana’s forests and natural reserves, emphasizing the need for accountability.
He urged the government to promptly enforce existing illegal mining laws to combat the persistent issue of galamsey, which has led to significant environmental degradation. The Chinese Ambassador had previously dismissed claims that his nationals were central to illegal mining operations, coinciding with a period of renewed national outrage over the environmental impact of these activities. Civil society groups, including the Ghana Coalition Against Illegal Mining, have called for stronger actions against those financing and facilitating illegal mining.