Chinese gold miners face many obstacles to doing business in Ghana
Miners from China face corruption, legal obstacles and even physical danger as they work the African country's soil for the precious metal
Suddenly the headlights illuminated two African men waving frantically by the dirt track in front of a car. The truck driver hesitated, but passenger Chen An, a Chinese mine owner, blurted out: "Don't stop! Go! Go! Go!"
The truck continued on. It was never safe, Chen explained, to stop on the road after sunset.
"Bandits block the road using cars or trucks. Once you stop the car, they will shoot you down," said Chen, who moved to Ghana from Changsha, in Hunan province, in 2002. Chinese have become the targets of criminals because of the fortunes they make from gold mining, he said. He could be a target too.
According to media reports, more than 20 Chinese miners have been killed in trips between mines and city centres or in shabby wooden houses where they stay next to mines.
Chinese miners are also often arrested and harassed, and targeted by corrupt officials, they claim.
Corruption would appear widespread. One afternoon police officers in Kumasi asked restaurant patrons for "fuel subsidies" to assist investigations.