The government of China is apparently unhappy about how they are being portrayed by the Ghanaian media in the galamsey saga and they want their Ghanaian counterparts to do something about it.

Two Chinese Embassy officials paid a call on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Friday to express their grievances with said coverage and warn it could damage bilateral relations between the two nations.

The issue of galamsey, in which many Chinese nationals are involved in, has become a hot button issue in the Ghanaian media the past few weeks. The media narrative has focused, in parts, on the scourge of some Chinese nationals who flout the laws with impunity with their involvement in the illegal mining sector.

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The biggest concern of the Chinese officials, though, relates to reportage which seems to implicate the Chinese government in the issue. A letter they presented to the Lands Ministry outlining their concerns refers to ‘distorted or biased reports’ which ‘are defaming Chinese leaders and senior officials’.  One such instance they gave was a cartoon showing the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, and sector minister Peter Amewu begging the Chinese President and Ambassador to Ghana to help solve the issue.

Having outlined their concerns in the letter, it ends with this ominous warning not just for Ghana-China relations but for freedom of the press in Ghana:

“We sincerely hope that the Ghanaian government shall take the responsibility of guiding the media and requesting them not to publicize such defamatory reports or stories against Chinese leaders, officials and the Chinese government. This will help create a sound environment for our joint efforts to address this issue and the continuous development of our bilateral relations”

Read full ‘letter’ below…