Accra: The Government has seized 425 excavators and other machinery involved in illegal mining activities, widely known as galamsey, according to Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. This action has been taken within the first half of the year as part of the government's efforts to combat illegal mining operations.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Forestry Commission provided a breakdown of the machinery seized from illegal miners. These include 177 excavators, four bulldozers, 12 vehicles, 43 motorcycles, 155 pumping machines, 184 changfangs, 15 detector machines, and 10 heavy-duty generators. Alongside the seizure of machinery, 1,345 arrests have been made nationwide, with prosecutions steadily progressing.
Mr. Buah shared these updates during his presentation at the Government Accountability Series press conference held at the Presidency in Accra. This series is organized by the Presidency Communications Bureau to enhance transparency and accountability in governance.
In his address, Mr. Buah emphasized the Ministry's broader strategy against galamsey. In collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance, Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)-Customs Division, and the Ports and Harbours Authority, a proactive approach has been adopted to track all imports of excavators and earth-moving equipment from their entry points. As a result, 1,200 excavators have been impounded pending validation before clearance at the Tema Port.
