The Ashanti regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah has flatly denied ever knowing the alleged notorious Chinese illegal miner, Asia Huang.

The Minister’s remarks was in reaction to a publication in The Republic Newspaper that claimed that he had been “hobnobbing” with the dreaded galamseyer and as a result granted her diplomatic courtesies in the region.

Ms. Huang, according to Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, the managing editor of the New Crusading Guide had become untouchable because she holds secret recordings of sexual escapades she had with some influential figures in the country.

And according to the Republic, at a recent programme to confirm President Akufo-Addo’s mayor-nominee for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Osei Assibey Antwi, Ms Huang otherwise known as Aisha, had been hosted as one of the special guests.

But reacting to the allegation Thursday May 11, 2017 on Morning Starr, Osei-Mensah completely repudiated the paper’s claim noting unequivocally that he had never dealt with any Chinese since assuming the regional Minister portfolio three months earlier.

According to him, the publication was nothing but pure concoction of “falsehoods, lies and disgraceful journalism.”

“It is in a very bad taste. I don’t know what they mean by doing that and they have to withdraw it immediately and apologize to me because I have never ever known that lady the whole of my life,” he stated in an interview with Morning Starr host Francis Abban.

He added, “fortunately for me, ever since I took over not a single Chinese whether male or female has entered my office. It is a lie and that is very bad journalism and whoever published that must bow his or her head in shame.”

Meanwhile, Ms Huang is currently on remand after she was arrested for illegal mining last week.