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The Deputy General Secretary of the United Party, Nana Yaw Sarpong, has voiced strong opposition to the practice of deporting foreign nationals caught engaging in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. He questioned the rationale behind such decisions, particularly by the Lands Minister, arguing that if the situation were reversed, other countries would not hesitate to prosecute and imprison Ghanaians who violated their laws. According to Nana Yaw, Ghana has a valuable opportunity under the current Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, who is committed to undertaking a national land reclamation exercise. He believes that instead of deporting foreign offenders, the state should prosecute them, and if found guilty, sentence them to prison with hard labour. “They destroyed our lands, so when it’s time for the land reclamation exercise and we need labour, cheap labour, we should use them. Let them work on reclaiming the land they helped destroy,” he said. Nana Yaw further suggested a structured daily routine for convicted illegal miners: four hours of hard labour on land reclamation and four hours of farming food crops that will be used to feed them. This, he explained, would significantly reduce the financial burden on the state. "Foreign nationals can’t come here, destroy our environment, endanger our lives, and expect to be treated like royalty,” he stated emphatically. Story: Nyamebeye Kofi Ansah Sasraku
