President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that 1,200 excavators imported into Ghana are undergoing a rigorous clearance and permitting process as part of government’s measures to curb their diversion into illegal mining operations.
Speaking at the Presidential Media Encounter on Wednesday, September 10, the President explained that the initiative—led by the Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Finance Ministry, GRA Customs Division, the Ports and Harbors Authority, the DVLA, and the Minerals Commission—will ensure tighter regulation of earth-moving equipment.
“So far, 1,015 excavators have been registered, with 647 fitted with tracking devices, while 315 more devices are expected to arrive by September 12,” he said. He noted that about 600 machines remain at Tema Port awaiting clearance under the new regime.
Mr. Mahama stressed that the multi-agency monitoring system will ensure accountability and strengthen the fight against illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), which continues to damage the environment and water bodies.
“This is to make sure that every single piece of equipment is accounted for, from the moment it lands at our ports to where it is finally deployed,” the President emphasized.
The announcement follows public concern over the influx of earth-moving equipment, with a recent report highlighting their potential link to unregulated mining activities.