A young Chinese man has been spotted in Ghana’s capital driving a taxi.
Even though this appears to be an isolated sighting, some Ghanaians who have seen the picture of the Chinese taxi driver have surmised that the Asians are now venturing into other businesses after Ghanaian authorities cracked down on their main and lucrative livelihood – illegal small-scale mining (galamsey).
The new government of President Nana Akufo-Addo launched an onslaught on the Chinese galamseyers and their local accomplices right after assuming office in January this year.
The anti-galamsey war, led by Lands and Natural Resources Minister John Peter Amewu, has seen the Chinese withdraw from their galamsey sites.
Over 500 excavators and earthmoving equipment were voluntarily withdrawn after the minister’s 21-day ultimatum expired.
Some Chinese galamseyers were also arrested during the crackdown.
Now that the Ghanaian government has put an end, it appears, to galamsey, the now-unemployed Chinese must definitely find other means to survive through another ‘galamsey’, which could take any shape or form.
This may not be restricted to taxi driving. The Chinese could soon invade other businesses – even menial ones reserved for locals which could create another turf war.
So the Chinese may have stopped galamsey – for now – but water eventually finds its level.
Will taxi driving be the new ‘galamsey’ for the Chinese? Will they be selling ‘pure water’, prostitution, fishing, going into the ‘chop bar’ business, ‘shoe shining’ or …?
