Deportation of Aisha Huang: Bad exercise of discretion – Sam Okudzeto

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Sam Okudzeto, a member of the State Council, said that the prosecution and subsequent deportation of Aisha Huang, a Chinese illegal miner, constituted misuse of discretion.

The lawyer and former MP told Joy News UPFRONT facilitator Raymond Acquah that the decision is against the national interest.

"Why can not our leaders sit down and understand that there is something called the national interest? I do not think that a minister can bluff with a problem of this nature. Why do we allow strangers to do galamsey? Often we expel them and they put gold in their suitcases and they go with it, "said the Council of Member State.

But the government has defended its decision to stop the prosecution of Ms. Huang, who was brought to court on May 9, 2017 for taking part in galamsey activities in Bepotenten in the central district of Beijing. Amansia, in the region of Ashanti.

According to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, the Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh government acted within the limits of the law.

"Our discretion was that Aisha Huang's trial was truncated to allow her to travel to her country. This was in accordance with the laws of our country. The Attorney General is dressed with the ability to enter nolle prosequi about it, "Thursday told Joy News Asomah-Cheremeh, a lawyer.

But Sam Okudzeto is not in agreement.

According to him, discretion is not a subject on which you are satisfied. Discretion must be exercised in accordance with the law.

"You can question the Attorney General who has entered the prosequi nolle. When the previous president amnestied the "Montie 3", I told them that he had neither the authority nor the power to grant them an amnesty because they were threatening the nation, "said the former president of the Ghana Bar Association.

Making a distinction between morality and legality, he argued that the fact that something is legally right does not make it morally.

He argued that there was no reason to allow foreigners to endanger lives and destroy mbades of water without asking them to pay for it.

"Inland waterways [Aisha Haug] destroyed will cost millions of dollars to repair. And who will tell me that someone has the discretion to let her go? Is it the proper use of discretion? I do not think so. There is something that is called the national interest. Okudzeto said in a patriotic tone.

But the question seems to transcend the realm of what is right or the use of discretion.

Prime Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo said the decision to stop the prosecution of Miss Haug had economic prospects for Ghana.

At a recent public meeting abroad, he strongly baderted that Ghana had excellent diplomatic relations with China and intended to badociate with it. countries in key infrastructure projects, evoking the $ 2 billion agreement reached between Sinohydro.

"Today, Sinohydro is the Chinese company that contributes to the development of the infrastructure system in Ghana. It is the one that will help us deal with our bauxite and provide us with about $ 2 billion.

"So, when there is this kind of arrangements, there are other things behind the scenes. [Aisha] in prison in Ghana will not solve your economic problems, "he said.

"But I do not agree with him," Sam Okudzeto said in response to the Prime Minister's request when it was brought to his attention.

"There seems to be some madness that has engulfed the Ghanaians. We seem to be so interested in immediate wealth as we kill ourselves without appreciating it, "he said.

The involvement of Galamsey's activities has dire consequences even in the future, long after the act. He held

"You can say that you stopped Galamsey, but I can tell you that it may take 50 to 60 years for this soil to become useful, because if you plant food, you eat poison, if you drink water, drink it. You can not see the effect today, but most people can develop cancer, "he said.

Mr. Okudzeto also argued that failure to punish criminal acts distorts criminal activity.

According to the Council of Member State, the pervasive indiscipline in the country, the lack of respect for people and the corruption that rages in the country result directly from not punishing what is wrong.

"What we have to understand is that when people do what is wrong and that they are not punished, others also think that they can do it too and they can not do it. get it cheaply, "he said.

The Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining subscribes to Mr. Okudzeto's statement. They said the message that the interruption of the lawsuits against Aisha Huang is sending is disturbing.

According to Ken Ashigbey, "Messaging is so important. The message that emerges from the Prime Minister's remarks is a fatal blow to the fight against Galamsey. It's very demotivating for everyone involved in this. "

"I think that there should be a correction from the Minister of Information to the President, something must be done about it," said the coalition leader to Joy News during an interview Thursday.