I cannot say if Aisha Huang was escorted on her way to China – Oppong Nkrumah

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said that he cannot confirm if ‘galamsey’ kingpin, Aisha Huang, was escorted while being repatriated to China four years ago.

The Ofoase-Ayirebi lawmaker while confirming in an interview on Joy FM‘s Newsnight that Aisha Huang, was indeed repatriated to her country, said he currently “has no brief” which suggests that there was an escort on that journey.

The MP, nonetheless, indicated that his brief gives credence to the fact that Aisha Huang was sent back to her country.

“In the brief I have, those particulars are not available, I am not saying they are not available but in the brief I have, they are not.

“The brief I have gives me details of the flight, when it left Accra, when it got to its destination through transit to China with her aboard. That is the brief I have, that is the brief I will share with you and you can validate…in the brief I have, I do not have answers to questions about, was she escorted? How many people escorted her?,” he told Evans Mensah on Newsnight, Tuesday.

On September 12, 2022, the Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament alleged that ‘galamsey’ kingpin, Aisha Huang had no escort when she was deported in 2018.

Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Aisha Huang’s deportation was only a “shambolic attempt of a deportation” and a “charade” by the government.

Speaking on Top Story, Monday, he noted that due to the awkward manner of Aisha Huang’s deportation, the ‘galamsey’ kingpin could have absconded during her transit to China.

“This whole charade of deportation has gone down as the most shambolic attempted deportation ever in world affairs. Do you know that this deportation took place without an escort? There was no escort…She could have really absconded when they transited in Addis Ababa,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking in the same interview, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah also clarified President Akufo-Addo’s comment about his uncertainty regarding how ‘galamsey’ kingpin, Aisha Huang, exited the country in 2018.

He said the President’s comment was a direct response to the particular question he was asked.

“The President was not speaking in a vacuum. There was a question about deportation and the President proceeded to respond that he is not too sure whether it is about deportation or whether she fled but then the substantive thing is this and then he proceeded to provide the substantive answer.

“I have heard several commentators suggest that there should have been more clarity in the President’s words etc. I mean in a democracy I am sure that we can always raise questions about the choice of words,” he explained on Tuesday.