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Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Bots pushed anti-China narrative ahead of Ghana mining ban
The West African nation has long been home to an informal artisanal mining sector. (EPA Images pic) ABUJA : Before Ghana banned foreigners from its gold trade earlier this year, an online bot campaign pushed anti-Chinese sentiment, blaming Chinese nationals for exploiting the country and stealing its resources. The West African nation has long been home to an informal artisanal mining sector. However, recent years have seen foreign investors – including many Chinese nationals – bring in industrial equipment and operate without permits or regard for the environment, leading to accusations of land grabbing and the serious degradation of waterways. In April, the government took steps to rein in the 'galamsey' – as illegal mining is known – by banning foreigners from trading in Ghana's local gold markets and granting exclusive authority to do so to a new state body, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod). The move was seen as sending a major signal to foreign mining operators – especially Chinese ones. However, ahead of the ban, fake accounts impersonating real Ghanaians on X had been pushing a coordinated effort to link China to galamsey explicitly for at least nine months, accounts seen by AFP and reviewed by disinformation experts show. Such campaigns have become common around the world to try to influence real-life politics. Who was behind the push remains unclear. While Chinese nationals have been blamed for the mining crisis, the role of Ghanaians went mostly unacknowledged in the posts, even though many of the country's political elite have been accused of direct involvement or complicity. 'Corruption be big wahala (problem) for here – look at galamsey, when Chinese come inside, everything change sharp,' said one typical post in Ghanaian Pidgin English, which researchers contacted by AFP identified as written by a bot. 'We for keep eye on them, no let them steal we gold like they done in other countries,' they said. Another accused Chinese companies of wanting to 'exploit we (our) resources and leave we (our) people with nothing'. Disinformation experts contacted by AFP identified 38 accounts involved in the push – 'though there are likely far more', said Darren Linvill, a professor at Clemson University. Competing interests Almost all of the bots flagged by Linvill and his colleague Patrick Warren appeared to have stopped posting about galamsey by March, just ahead of the April ban. Many have since been deleted. One typical phrasing had been repeated by various bots since July 2024, a search on X showed – but stopped being used completely just hours after the rule was passed. 'China's role is significant, but it would be misleading to scapegoat foreigners alone,' said Senyo Hosi, an anti-galamsey campaigner. Grace Ansah-Akrofi, a police spokeswoman, said that officers have been 'vigilant and proactive in detecting and dismantling digital networks engaged in disinformation', but did not provide details on the bot campaign specifically. The Ghanaian government and the Chinese embassy did not respond to a request for comment. If the campaign was affiliated with the government, it would have had to span rival administrations: John Mahama was elected president in December after running for the opposition against incumbent Nana Akufo-Addo. Rabiu Alhassan, director of FactSpace West Africa, an Accra-based fact-checking and disinformation research group, cautioned that many international and domestic players have mining interests in Ghana. He also pointed out that Ghana lies just south of the volatile Sahel region, where Russia, the West and other foreign powers have jockeyed for influence. Hot sauce and football The accounts also posted about hot sauce, a British football team and Russia's role in the conflict in Mali. Given the diverse targets, they are likely bots for hire, Linvill said – alhough attacking both Russia and China is 'unique'. Linvill also said that the campaign shed light on a 'blind spot' when it comes to disinformation and influence campaigns, where researchers often focus on Chinese, Russian and Iranian campaigns against Westerners. 'However, Westerners are not targeted nearly as much as non-Westerners,' he said. The most common culprits behind influence campaigns, he added, are governments trying to sway their own people. In May, the GoldBod announced its first arrests of foreign nationals since the ban. All the men in the group were from India.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Who be di Ghana opposition party businessman 'Chairman Wontumi' wey authorities dey pursue?
Police and di economic and organised crime office (EOCO) dey pursue one ogbonge opposition party chairman ova plenti allegations. Bernard Antwi Boasiako (alias Chairman Wontumi) bin dey under pressure as di state dey chase am about im involvement for illegal mining (galamsey) and oda financial crimes. Dem bin rush di Ashanti regional chairman of di opposition NPP to hospital afta im allegedly fall sick during interrogation by EOCO. Dem arrest Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias "chairman Wontumi" on Tuesday afta im report to di police CID office, a day afta dem grant am bail wit two sureties. Di businessman chop accuse say im dey involve for illegal mining (galamsey), im dey pollute water bodies and also entering forest reserve without authorization wit im mining company. Last week, security pipo don go im house for Kumasi wit search warrant but oga Wontumi im private security no allow di officers to enter di house - but im gree to report imsef for di police station on Monday 26 May. Na so officers from EOCO don arrest di controversial opposition party chairman afta im visit di police CID Tuesday afternoon. Party supporters and dia leaders gather wia dem spend di night for EOCO office to demand di release of dia chairman. Dem cause kasala wit police and soldiers for dia wia some bin burn tyres wia dem dey chant. Afta six hours of interrogation, Oga Wontumi say im fall sick wia dem rush am to hospital. Im lawyer Andy Appiah Kubi confam say, "we neva finish di interrogation bifor my client fall sick, na so dem carry am go hospital." "If dem bin treat am wey im dey fit, we go come back to continue di interrogation, unless di doctors tok say im no dey well." Di arrest of chairman Wontumi dey in connection wit anoda mata different from di illegal mining allegations. Im lawyer say "we don receive anoda writ of summons by Exim Bank wey we go respond to di mata, we go mount defence for our client – dis na civil mata, but for di ones wey be criminal case, we go mount defence for oga Wontumi." Party leaders and di supporters tok say di way dem arrest dia chairman, no good. National youth organiser Salam Mustapha say di way dem arrest dia party member na "rambo-style." "Dis na democracy, di goment no fit to use state security to intimidate political opponents. Why dem go arrest pesin dis way? Dem fit to invite am wey im go present imsef. But to treat pesin like dis, na unfair." Oga Wontumi no be di only officer for di opposition party wey dey under investigation for various allegations of corruption Di former signals bureau boss Kwabena Adu-Boahene and im wife dey under trial say dem allegedly cause financial loss to di state wey dem also divert state funds. Di former director and di board chairman for di Ghana infrastructure and minerals fund (GIIF) also bin dey before court ova one $2m sky train mata. Di attorney general bin dey pursue oda former goment appointees ova alleged corruption among oda tins. Who be chairman Wontumi and why e dey popular? Chairman Wontumi na ogbonge pesin for di new patriotic party (NPP) – wey im be di chairman of di party for dia stronghold di Ashanti Region. Im dey popular sake of some of di tins im dey tok and how im dey handle tins. Im na old student of Prempeh College. Di businessman man get plenty businesses – im get mining companies, im dey for di construction and oda industries. For 2022, im declare say im wan buy Chelsea football club; im tok say im submit $3.1bn bid to buy di English club. Di businessman also bin get media business – wit TV and radio station. Three years ago, im carry wetin im describe as "pure gold" to im station wia im display for live TV. "Dis na solid moni, dis na pure gold, we no dey joke for dis kontri. Solid moni," chairman Wontumi tok as im dey display five bars of gold for di TV. Chairman Wontumi na one of di financiers of im party – na so im dey so powerful, especially during di last eight years under di NPP goment. Many civil society groups bin dey petition di police CID under di Nana Akufo-Addo goment say Chairman Wontumi im mining companies dey involve for illegal mining for di forest reserves. But di president at di time, Nana Akufo-Addo tok say di chairman company no dey involve for illegal mining even though di minister for lands and natural resources at di time, Samuel Abu Jinapor confam say di party chairman im company dey involve for illegal mining. Di environmental groups bin petition di police CID again dis year afta di elections say make di police investigate am, na dat be one of di reasons wey dem invite am to di CID headquarters. Despite im popularity for di NPP, im dey divide opinion among di party leadership. Im wan rise from im post as Ashanti regional chairman to become di national chairman of di opposition party.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Authorities expose dangerous operation hidden near critical waterway: 'You can imagine the health hazards we are exposed to'
Illegal mining along the Black Volta River in the Wa West District of Ghana has led to the arrest of seven people. According to MyJoyOnline and GhanaWeb, the culprits were arraigned on April 13, 2025. Five men and two women were held in custody as police investigated. After a raid, authorities confiscated items including "10 Changfang mining machines, two unregistered PNE and Apsonic tricycles, and four motorbikes," MyJoyOnline reported. This illegal mining crackdown is part of structured efforts to protect local waterways. The Black Volta River runs through Burkina Faso for over 800 miles (over 1,300 kilometers) before merging with the White Volta River in Ghana. Residents have complained about encroachment and water pollution linked to these mining activities. The illegal gold mining, also known as galamsey, per the BBC, has turned a once vibrant river brown. As a result, livelihoods are at risk, particularly the fishing industry, since the pollution has reduced the fish population, per the Fourth Estate. People are also finding it difficult to access clean water reliably. "This is also our only source of drinking water, so you can imagine the health hazards we are exposed to," local washer and mother of five Rose Morklah told The Fourth Estate. While the planet's surface is over 70% water, most of it isn't drinkable due to its salt content, NASA explained. Polluted fresh water poses a health risk to people and wildlife. According to Unicef, Ghana's water access has improved, but at least 11% of people drink from unsafe sources, while one in 10 people must travel at least 30 minutes away to find a suitable source. Contaminated drinking water in Ghana has exposed locals to waterborne diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and dysentery, a study published in the journal Water, shared by MDPI, observed. How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Illegal mining isn't a problem that authorities and locals can afford to ignore anywhere. A Canadian mining company faced a fine of over $114,750 for dumping cobalt waste into a local river. Over in Nagpur, India, police seized over $7,000 in excavation tools after arresting a man mining sand from a river. In the United States, mining sites have been found dumping millions of gallons of water contaminated with lead and arsenic into nearby streams and ponds, the Associated Press reported in 2019. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
