It has emerged that, when Aisha Huang was arrested in 2016, excavators and a Toyota pick-up vehicle seized by the authorities were released to her following a directive from the then Ashanti regional minister under the John Dramani Mahama administration, John Alexander Ackon.
According to Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, the operation in 2016 was led by the deputy regional minister, Andy Osei Okrah together with the then BNI, Police, Immigration, National Security and the Military.
Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ Morning Show, Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, read a memo from the Regional Commander of GIS to the Deputy Comptroller General Operations dated September 2, 2016.
Baako submitted: “I have a memo from the Regional Commander of GIS to the Deputy Comptroller General Operations dated September 2, 2016. The subject of the memo is ‘Tension mount on Amansie Central over Chinese galamsey activities’. Aisha Huang in this memo was mentioned throughout.
"The memo stated that ‘information gathered from the media among other things indicated the following; Miss Huang, a Chinese woman is alleged to be engaged in illegal mining activities leading to the destruction of cocoa farms and pollution of water bodies, encroachment of other people’s concessions.
"Residents and Chiefs of the affected communities are planning to protest against illegal mining activities as a result of that, the woman in question – Miss Huang – was served with an invitation letter to enable the command to ascertain the situation on the ground. She reported on Tuesday, September 30, 2016, where her statement was taken.’
“The interesting point in all of these states that, the GIS indicates that ‘our records show that the subject – Aisha Huang – is married to a Ghanaian known as Fabian Anthony for the past nine years. According to her, she met her husband in 2007 in China.
"She further indicated that her husband has registered two companies in the country. She stated further that the first company, FA Advance Ltd which collapsed in 2013 compelled the husband to travel to the US.
"The second company Golden Asia Ltd, which documents are in our custody indicates that Aisha Huang is the second director. The nature of the business is general merchant import and export of goods and mining.
"Miss Huang also disclosed in her written statement that her four excavators ceased by the national security…were released to her when the Ashanti Regional Minister indicated that the operation was conducted without his consent,” Kweku Baako explained.
Baako explained that despite the operation being led by a deputy minister and other top members of the security and intelligence architecture, seized materials were returned to Mrs. Huang.
“... the Regional Security Council decided that, no, they had done that operation without the reference to the minister, so, on that basis, the woman’s excavators and Toyota pick-up vehicle were released to her. The regional minister then was John Alexander Ackon.”
He further indicated in 2017 when the state decided to file a nolle prosequi - to discontinue the case, stating that: “it was disappointing and didn’t make sense to me. Subsequent to that she was repatriated.
"We have had the [culture] history of repatriating Chinese nationals arrested on the mining site. That is a fact. In fact, since 2005 to date, we have repatriated 50,000 Chinese. Only a few have been sent to court and tried and only two or three are in prison. It's been the policy . . .by the State."
To him, repatriating the Chinese doesn't send a strong warning as it would if a severe punishment were meted out to them.
"The Ghana Immigration Service will tell you that the policy is not deportation but repatriation and there are instances. I have the publications here where they arrested about 1,000 and they, themselves, pleaded to be repatriated.
"It's called voluntary repatriation. Some will tell you maybe we don't have the physical structures to contain them in prison and things but punish some. Punishing some sends a certain signal, deterrence," Kweku Baako stressed.
