The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has directed all owners, operators and users of excavators to register their excavators with the Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly (MMDA) with jurisdiction over the area where the excavator is located.
He announced this in an release today, October 24, 2022 titled " Fight against illegal mining: Registration of all excavators with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country."
READ ALSO: Gov’t threatens to sue Captain Smart, Media General over galamsey claims against Akufo-Addo
" By the Minerals and Mining ( Mineral Operations - Tracking of Earthmoving and Mining Equipment) Regulations, 2022 ( L.I. 2404), The Minerals Commission is empowered to register and tract all earthmoving and mining equipment used in mining operations."
Therefore to exercise its power invested , the statement gave additional directions.
Below is statement release
" All owners, operators and/or users of excavators in the country shall, within seven days of this notice, excluding weekends and statutory holidays, register their excavators with the Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly ( MMDA) with jurisdiction over the area where the excavator is located," more in the excavator press.
“An owner, operator and/or user of an excavator shall, at the time of registration, specify the purpose for which the excavator is being used or to be used and the area where the excavator is being used or will be used, as the case may be,” he said.
Any excavator not registered in accordance with this directive, whether found at a mining site or any other operational site or elsewhere, shall be seized and the necessary legal steps taken to confiscate same to the State, Mr Jinapor indicated.