Will imprisoning Aisha Huang end galamsey? - Kwesi Pratt quizzes

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has expressed disgust over the way the government and politicians are treating the Chinese galamsey queen, Aisha Huang's case.

Aisha Huang was arrested in Kumasi for engaging in illegal mining activities, although she was repatriated to China in 2018.

The galamsey queen re-entered Ghana slyly and continued her activities until her recent arrest.

She has since been arraigned before court and refused bail.

However, the Aisha Huang story has dominated discussions on illegal mining in the country.

But to Kwesi Pratt, Aisha Huang is not the solution to the illegal mining menace in Ghana, "so, why have we reduced everything to Aisha Huang?"

Making his submissions on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, he further questioned; "Will imprisoning Aisha Huang end galamsey?"

"The problem is not Aisha Huang . . . I can't understand it. Now, wherever you go, it's Aisha Huang. When you buy newspaper, it's Aisha Huang. On radio and television is Aisha Huang. It's like Aisha Huang is the problem. She has now become shortcode for galamsey . . . Before Aisha Huang was born, we knew the problem in the gold industry," he added.

He charged the government to stay focused on the fight against the menace and stop making the galamsey queen appear like her arrest is the end to galamsey.