Respecting our laws

GHANA believes in the tenets of the concept of rule of law which theory was propounded by A.V. Dicey in the year 1896. The concept thrives on three main principles: The supremacy of the law; equality before the law; and an independent judiciary to help dispense justice without fear or favour.

IT was based on this admission that Ghanaians in 1992 turned out massively in a referendum and voted yes to multi-party system of government. Consequently, that gave birth to the 1992 Constitution.  And since that time we have lived within the ambit of this Constitution to date. Ghana’s democracy has become a beacon to many African countries which are trying to entrench democratic values.

HOWEVER, we find it disturbing when foreigners tend to abuse the Ghanaian hospitality and instead engage in illegal activities. Such illegal activities, especially by foreigners, have created the impression that Ghana is a nation where one can do whatever he/she likes.

AND one industry which has become a fertile ground for these foreign nationals, particularly the Chinese, is the mining sector. Most often we have heard one report or the other of Chinese nationals prospecting for gold in the country.

SURPRISING, these Chinese who are into illegal mining have ably been assisted by Ghanaians. In some cases, our own people have been found condoning with foreigners to engage in illegal activities. That is most unfortunate and must stop.

INDEED it is in the wake of this that we welcome the arrest and subsequent trial of five Chinese including a woman at the Assin Fosu District Magistrate Court. The crime of the Chinese nationals follows their illegal scouting for gold in the Offinso River at Assin Asamang in the Central region.

WE hope that the law will take its course and when found guilty appropriate punishment will be meted out to them as a measure of deterring potential foreigners who have such ill-plans to engage in illegal and criminal activities in the country. We must make foreigners who visit our country understand that Ghana is not a haven for illegal activities.

AS such the law should deal with any foreigner who disregards it and perpetuates crimes in the name that Ghana is a free country. We also recall that last year we reported on activities of some Chinese scouting for gold in the Western region. We hope that they have been apprehended and dealt with accordingly.

FURTHERMORE, we are urging the Assin Fosu Magistrate Court to speed up with the trial of the five Chinese. This will help ascertain the truth or otherwise of the matter, and help save our mineral exploitation from foreigners.