Gaps in Ghana’s laws were exploited to free the galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang, who was deported after being arrested for allegedly taking part in galamsey, Mr Ben Aryee, advisor to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has said.

The Chinese national was arrested in 2017 for her alleged involvement in illegal small scale mining activities (galamsey) at the time the activities had been banned

Aisha Huang was prosecuted but the Attorney General entered a nolle prosequi and discontinued the trial.

She was deported without being sectioned for her alleged role in galamsey

Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Johnnie Hughes on Monday April 12 ahead of the national dialogue on galamsey, Mr. Ben Aryee said explained that this issue was as a result of defects in the laws.

“It is true that there were some of those lapses, no doubt. However, the president is so passionate about this that subsequent to that, you will notice that there have been two amendments to the law.

“I will probably say gaps in the law which were exploited by some people and to prevent that from happening, the president has caused two amendments to be made to the law in terms of ACT 900 and subsequently ACT 995.

“When 900 was passed he said no, this is not punitive enough and he caused 995 to be passed. One of the things it does is to say if a foreigner is caught doing illegal mining first and foremost the sanctions will be applied.

“It is expressly stated in the law now before you can be deported.”