Former Ambassador Urges Media To Present Balanced View Of Chinese Nationals Amid Galamsey Concerns
Ghana’s former Ambassador to China, Anane Demyakor, has called on the media to present a more balanced perspective on Chinese nationals in the country.
Mr Demyakor, who is also the Chairman of the Ghana-China Friendship Association, highlighted the need to change the negative narrative that often portrays Chinese nationals as masterminds behind illegal mining activities in Ghana.
The former Ambassador then shared his observations from his engagement with Chinese nationals during his tenure as ambassador.
He argued that the perception that Chinese nationals are solely responsible for illegal mining in Ghana is not entirely accurate.
Mr. Demyakor noted that in China, engaging in illegal mining can lead to severe consequences, including loss of life, while Ghana’s laws on the matter are relatively relaxed, allowing individuals the freedom to engage in various activities.
“In China, when you partake in illegal mining you will be killed but here our laws are so relaxed. People have the freedom to do anything they want in this country. We have leaders, managers and appointees blatantly disregarding the laws in the country.
“It is important for us to have a different perspective, we have to start looking at China in a very positive light. As of now, the media appear to be doing more negative stories of China than positive ones,” Mr. Anane Demyakor said in an interview with theghanareport.com , after a media professional workshop.
He, therefore, called for a different perspective and emphasized the importance of presenting China in a more positive light.
Mr. Demyakor expressed concern that the media tends to focus on negative stories about China rather than highlighting positive aspects of the relationship between the two countries.
He encouraged the media to portray Chinese nationals as disciplined individuals who respect authority, countering the prevailing negative perception.
The managing editor of The Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Junior, supported Demyakor’s views and shared an example of a recent news report.
He highlighted a discrepancy between the headline, which suggested that Chinese nationals were at the forefront of illegal mining arrests, and the actual number of Chinese individuals involved in the incident, which was significantly smaller.
Pratt emphasized the need for accurate and fair reporting to avoid perpetuating stereotypes and misrepresentations.
The workshop provided an opportunity for media professionals to discuss and reflect on the representation of China-Ghana relations in the media, with a focus on promoting a more balanced and nuanced understanding.
The Media Professionals Workshop on Africa-China relations was organized jointly by ACCPA and the Confucius Institute.
ACCPA is a Sino-African research and policy think tank and advisory firm headquartered in Accra, Ghana.
The Centre is dedicated to providing unbiased policy and market research as well as distinct views on Africa-China relations.