Chinese Strike $500m Worth Of Gold In Ghana With Secret Method

Scores of villagers from a small town in China’s southern Guangxi province have struck gold worth more than 1 billion yuan in Ghana - but they're keeping their method a secret, reported the 21st Century Business Herald. An estimated 50,000 gold diggers, known as “the Shanglin gang", work in Ghana’s gold mines, Africa's largest producer of the metal after South Africa. Many have been lured to the foreign land after hearing friends and relatives' outrageous stories of their success. They are Shanglin villagers who have started from scratch, ambitious high school dropouts and hard working laborers eager to trade their sweat for cash. They have made a fortune in the West African country in the past eight years by investing and working in small and medium-sized gold mines, said the report. One such miner reportedly brought a gold bar to a relative as a “gift” upon returning to his hometown. Another person ordered a Ferrari over the phone from Hong Kong airport while he was transferring to a flight home. While to many these revelations sounds like wild rumours, an insider working at a local bank produced solid proof of their riches. In May and June 2011 alone, he said, more than 1 billion yuan (HK$1.2 billion) was wired into Shanglin by villagers working abroad, dwarfing the township’s 2012 revenue of little more than 300 million yuan. When the Shanglin villagers arrived in Ghana in 2005, larger sites for hard-rock gold mining had already been snapped up by international corporations. Smaller sites, using the placer mining technique usually near rivers, were traditionally run by quasi-professional independent operations. Placer mining, in which gold is extracted from other materials using water, had been so challenging that many of the Shanglin gang's Chinese predecessors had failed. Workers from northern Heilongjiang and southern Hunan provinces who ahead of the Shanglin villagers failed to turn a profit due to outdated techniques that led to low efficiency, said the report. Although placer deposits are harder to work with, they still contribute to 30 to 40 per cent of the total gold produced in Ghana. The Shanglin gang, however, had a “killer” technique involving remodelled sand pumps, secret technology they have since kept to themselves. This has revolutionised placer mining in Ghana and made the business hugely profitable. An average shop makes 100,000 yuan in gross profit daily, says the report citing a worker. Many operations thus easily make tens of millions yuan a year. Working with local village heads and labourers, the gang quickly expanded their business. They have built more than 1,000 operations by investing more than 3 billion yuan, according to an estimate by a Shanglin investor. In fact, almost all of the smaller mines in Ghana are now controlled by the Shanglin gang. An increasing number of Shanglin immigrants have even settled down there and married local women. Casinos have thrived as well because of their enthusiasm for gambling. Rumours are that some 20 per cent of the money earned by Shanglin people has been lost to gambling. Life in Ghana, however, is far from a fairy tale. Shanglin workers say they are frequently threatened and robbed, if not harassed by corrupt local officials. On many occasions they say they were able to buy their way out - but not always. In March, a Shanglin man died after being shot 27 times by a robber.

Source: www.scmp.com

US applauds Ghana’s political institutions in the wake of Election Petition

The United States is pleased with the on-going political situation in Ghana with regards to the current petition challenging the outcome of the December 2012 presidential polls in court.

Mr Michael Pelletier, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, African Affairs of the U.S Department of State, said “it shows that the institutions are working in Ghana and people have confidence in the institutions.”

Mr Pelletier said this when speaking with the Ghana News Agency at the US Department of State building in Washington DC on Friday after meeting with 2013 Spring Professional Fellows to address U.S-Africa foreign policy issues.

Professional Fellows are up and coming and mid-level emerging leaders, who are competitively selected from across the globe by partner agencies of the U.S Department of State to come to the U.S and work with U.S public and private institutions and NGOs with the aim to broaden their expertise as well as understanding of American society.

For this year’s Spring programme, 220 professionals in the areas of legislation, economics and media were selected from over 40 countries including Ghana, China, Peru, Costa Rica, to participate in an event where they spent four weeks working with various U.S institutions.

Some pundits have suggested that the on-going election petition case at the Supreme Court has and or might affect investor confidence in Ghana but Mr Pelletier said the election petition case did not affect U.S-Ghana relations in anyway adding it also did not undermine or cast a slur on Ghana’s integrity amongst the investment community in the U.S.

He said “you have the laws and the rules and you are just following the laws to address your grievances and that is right.”

The 2012 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, his running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Chairman of the NPP, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey are challenging the outcome of the December 2012 presidential results at the Supreme Court, and have requested the court to annul substantial amount of votes secured by the winner, President John Mahama, citing alleged irregularities during the polls.

Mr Pelletier said the U.S government would continue to work with the Ghana government to promote the welfare of the people in-line with its (U.S government) foreign policy objectives, which included strengthening democratic institutions, ensuring rule of law, free press, and promoting opportunities in economic growth and development.

Ms Tara Sonenshine, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs said the Professional Fellows Programme was at the core of the U.S government’s ideology and practicality adding it promoted mutual understanding between the U.S and other peoples across the world.

GNA  

Chinese Deny Killing Two Ghanaians In Obuasi

The two Chinese in custody for killing two people at Obuasi have denied carrying out the act. According to the Obuasi Divisional Police Command, Crime Officer DSP Kwabena Otuo Acheampong the Chinese fired guns at some four people who confronted them for encroaching on their concession, killing two. In an interview with Citi News DSP Kwabena Otuo Acheampong stated that the Chinese would help them in their investigations. He opined that although they “claim not to have taken part in the killings neither do they have knowledge of the killers; they would assist the police in their investigations.” The Obuasi police Command arrested two illegal Chinese gold miners for allegedly gunning down two Ghanaians. The deceased identified as Nana Boateng and Eric Ofori were reportedly shot dead on Thursday by the Chinese miners at Amamiriwa in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

Source: Citifmonline

Elephant pulls down Mahama’s billboard

An elephant from a forest reserve on the Ghana-Burkina Faso border has pulled down a 2012 campaign bill board of President John Mahama in the Ghanaian village of Bagli in the Laura Nandom area on Friday April 12, 2013.

The vandalism by the elephant has left residents and spiritualists reading superstitious meanings into the incident because the opposition New Patriotic Party’s logo is an elephant.

While some believe it is a harbinger of how the election petition case will pan out at the Supreme Court, others have simply brushed it aside as a mere accident on the part of the marauding elephant.

Mahama Awudu, who witnessed the damage caused by the herd told XYZ News: “All of a sudden it pulled down John Mahama’s billboard and run back into the bush and went back into Burkina Faso”.

He said: “The Mallams and traditionalists have given their own interpretations into the incident".

Awudu noted that politicians in the area have also put a political twist on the incident.

The eyewitness said: “People are saying that…it means victory for the elephant family”, as far as the opposition flagbearer for the 2012 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s challenge of the 2012 election results is concerned.

“Other people are saying John Mahama’s family will handover, [and be] subdued,” he added.

Source: radioxyzonline.com

Plot To Unseat Prez Mahama...Mills' Henchmen Embark On Warfare

Members within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who are said to be disaffected over President John Mahama's appointments are planning to put up a challenger to his candidature for the 2016 elections, reports The Finder newspaper. According to some members of the Youth Forum of the NDC, certain individuals within the party who were largely loyal to the late President John Atta Mills have embarked on a psychological warfare aimed at chipping away at President Mahama's support within the party. Two of the whistleblowers, Mr Saminu Mohammed and Paapa Bissue told The Finder newspaper on Sunday that they had evidence to show that some Mills loyalists who were unhappy about the President's appointments were fuelling disaffection in the party. "A whole regional youth organiser of the party during a recent meeting in the Eastern Region got up and said President John Mahama is destroying the party for them and they will not sit down for him to destroy the party," said Mr Mohammed who is also the Chairman of Grassroots thinkers of the party. The youth organiser's grievance, according to the whistleblowers, was that the new appointees of the President at the Flagstaff House do not know them or accord them the appropriate recognition. Mr Mohammed alleged that some old faces in the previous Mills' government are bent on ensuring that President Mahama does not go for a second term. "They are funding a candidate to contest the President," the whistle blowers maintained. According to Mohammed, he had received reports of people within the party spewing falsehoods about President Mahama. "Whoever they are talking about who wants to compete with President Mahama come 2016, we are equally ready for that person. The person should not be a coward, he should come out," he dared. Bissue said his group believes that the President made his appointments based on what was best for the country and the party. "When you create disaffection within the party, who loses?

Source: The Finder

God Will CurseThe NDC Govt For Deliberately Disrespecting Doctors - Prez Of GMA

President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr. Kwabena Opoku- Adusei, has launched an intense attack on government for disrespecting medical practitioners and deliberately failing to meet their demands which resulted in doctors retorting to a strike action. He underscored that medical practitioners were not calling on government to give them all of the nation’s money or increase their pay; but to simply pay them according to what the law states. "We're not calling on them to increase our pay or add something to it; all we are saying is that after they have evaluated our works they should pay us according to that”, he petitioned. The president of the association told Okay FM that though this current government has what it takes to settle their debts, the central government has intentionally decided not to honour doctors by paying them their remuneration. According to him, the Bible makes it clear in the book of Ecclesiastes that anybody who disrespects a health worker would incur the wrath and curse of God no matter the position that fellow occupies. Paraphrasing the text from Ecclesiastes, Dr. Opoku–Adusei stated that “before Jesus Christ was born, the good book advised people to render respect and honour to the doctor because their service is inevitable”. “The government simply disrespects us and feels they can hire people to replace us because our work is not important. We work and they refuse to pay us and decide to obey the laws at their own time. Government agencies don’t regard laws set by the Labour Commission and the central government does same.”

Source: Chris Joe Quaicoe/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Intimidated Chinese investors pack out of Ghana- Antwi Boasiako

Some of the Chinese illegal miners in Ghana Intimidated Chinese investors are reportedly packing out of the country. That is according to the President of the Ghana-China Chamber of Commerce. Daniel Antwi Boasiako said the Chinese feel threatened by the actions of the Ghana Immigration Service and the personnel of the Ghana Army. The security services in a bid to clamp down on illegal mining in Ghana, especially by Chinese immigrants have raided the illegal mines owned by the Chinese settlers. Over 50 of the Chinese workers have been arrested and will be repatriated after further investigations. The arrests of the Chinese workers have raised issues about a possible diplomatic row between Ghana and China but Ghana’s President John Mahama has been quick to dismiss any such fear. He said the development will not in any way affect the relationship with China. He cautioned the media against possible stereotyping, insisting, the laws of Ghana must be respected and whoever breaks it, irrespective of which country the person comes from, will be dealt with. He said Ghana’s relationship with China is on “solid ground.” But Antwi Boasiako thinks otherwise. He said the Chinese have begun packing out of the country for fear of being attacked by the security personnel. The Chinese immigrants claim some gold bars and other properties belonging to them were looted when the security personnel raided their offices, an allegation the Ghana Immigration Service has denied. The Service is expected to release an official statement later today on the matter. Meanwhile, an International Relations expert Vladmir Antwi Danso doubts if the action by the security forces will strain Ghana’s relationship with the Chinese. He said unless it can be proven that there were infractions in the implementation of the laws, the action by the security forces cannot hamper relations with the Chinese. He said Ghana’s laws are to be respected across board by all citizens and Chinese are no exceptions. If they break the laws they have to be dealt with, he stated. myjoyonline.com