The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has backed former President John Mahama’s account that about 5,000 Chinese nationals were deported when he was head-of-state. Responding to scepticism about Mr. Mahama’s account, Mr. Gyamfi said figures being used to discredit the former President did not paint the full picture. In a publication by the Guardian tabloid dated 15th July, 2013 attached herewith, the Ghana Immigration Service indicated that between June and July of that year, 2013 alone, 4,592 Chinese illegal immigrants were deported from Ghana. The Spokesperson for the Ghana Immigration Service at the time, one Michael Amoako-Atta indicated that this exercise was “only the first phase of our operations, we will be continuing in due course”. In the same year 2013 alone, following the arrest of several illegal foreign miners, most of whom were Chinese nationals, more than 3,800 of these illegal miners submitted to deportation on voluntary basis, otherwise known as repatriation.

Source: The Guardian September 15, 2022 16:06 UTC