A Kumasi High Court has ordered the deportation of four Chinese nationals found to be engaged in illegal mining at Adaase, near Kwapia, in the Obuasi Municipality of Ashanti.
The deportees; Shi Li Wen, Huang Shen Jun, Li De Hao and Lan Hai Song, have over the years been living in Ghana without the requisite immigration documents and have thus violated Sections 23(1) and 35 (1d) of the Immigrations Act 2000 (Act 573)of Ghana and, therefore, their continued stay in the country was inimical tothe Republic.
The court, presided over by His Lordship Mr. Justice E. SenyoAmedahehas at a sitting on June 3, 2021 directed that the Regional Commanderof the Ghana Immigration Service effect the immediate deportation of the illegal migrants outof the Republic of Ghana to their country of origin.
The Chinese nationals, who had also unlawfully entered and undertaken illegal mining on a tract of land approved for educational purposes, without the consent of the rightful owners,and are also engaged in illegal mining activities.By their conduct the Chinese had destroyed the entire land, renderingit unsuitable for the primary purpose underlying the acquisition of the 40-acre land.
Justice Senyo Amedahe appealed to the Minister of the Interior to reconsider the use of the discretion of immigration officers in granting resident permits to foreigners who arrive in the country on 60 days B1 visas.
Justice Amedahe noted that some immigration officers are in the practice of making things which are illegal look legal and called on Ghanaians to protect natural bodies and fix Ghana.
According to the judge, it has become the practice for immigration officers to grant one year resident permit to foreign visitors when it is apparent that they do not qualify under the Immigration Act, thus the discretion is being abused by government officials with the assistance of non-government workers, mostly Ghanaians whose actions lead to the destruction of the environment.
In the instant case, the judge observed that officials of the Immigration office in Kumasi assisted the four Chinese to live in Ghana illegally and questioned why people should be allowed to destroy 40-acres of land even if they acquired it illegally.
Justice Amedahe recommended that the fight against the galamsey menace must be extended to the Ghana Immigration Service where the 60-day-visitor’s visa B1 issued by Embassies outside are upgraded into resident permits for the visitors, some of who engage in illegal mining and destroy our lands and water bodies.
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