Deportation is not enough; we need accountability – Oliver Barker-Vormawor

Oliver Barker-Vormawor is a prominent social activist. He leads the Democracy Hub pressure group. Recently, he criticized the Ghanaian government’s handling of illegal mining by foreigners.

On the Asaase Breakfast Show, Barker-Vormawor expressed his concerns. He noted that the government deports foreigners involved in illegal mining without legal process.

He emphasized that Ghanaian law requires prosecution for such crimes. “Our laws are clear: foreigners must be prosecuted here,” he stated. Deportation should follow a conviction, not serve as a shortcut to avoid accountability.

Barker-Vormawor questioned whether countries like China can prosecute these cases. “There’s no indication that China can handle crimes committed in Ghana,” he said. He also mentioned the lack of guarantees for evidence or witnesses in China.

He believes deporting individuals does not solve the problem of illegal mining. “The issue of law enforcement is deep,” he remarked. Simply deporting people encourages repeat offenses and more crime.

Barker-Vormawor and his group are considering legal action against the government.