Galamsey Cases involving Chinese are thrown out over difficulty finding interpreters – Forestry Commission

The Greater Accra Forestry Commission has disclosed that cases involving Chinese illegal miners also known as ‘galamsey’ are thrown out for lack of interpreters in the courts.

The Deputy Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, George Agbenowoshi disclosed this during a tree planting exercise in Accra as part of activities to mark the ‘Green Ghana Day’.

“Issues of cases that have been there over years without being addressed, issues of mining involving Chinese that need an interpreter to interpret the language in the Chinese language.

“We find it difficult to get an interpreter therefore such cases are thrown out of the court as a result of that,” Mr. Agbenowoshi stated.

According to him, there are other issues that hamper the activities in the sector such as delay in releasing funds among others.

“We also have issues with the timely release of funds for forest development activities including plantation activities in our sector, including plantation activities at our sector.

“Logistics such as pickups for field operating activities are various challenges we cannot write home about. It makes it difficult to fight forest offenses such as galamsey activities which have been ongoing, bush fire. Illegal logging, illegal lumbering, and chain-saw activities across the country,” Mr. Agbenowoshi stated.