The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that the government is actively considering placing restrictions on the importation of excavators into the country
The proposed measure is part of a broader effort to curb the activities of illegal miners, popularly known as galamsey operators, whose operations continue to pose a grave threat to Ghana’s environment and water resources.
Speaking at a press engagement on Thursday, the minister expressed deep concern over the alarming scale of environmental destruction caused by unregulated mining operations and emphasised the need for decisive, structural action.
According to the minister, one of the key enablers of illegal mining is the unchecked influx of heavy-duty machinery—especially excavators—which are frequently deployed deep within forest reserves and along riverbanks to conduct illicit mining activities with devastating ecological consequences
“We believe that the time has come for us to basically restrict the import of excavators in this country. It doesn’t make any sense that the third most valuable things we import in this country to the tune of $6.2 billion is excavators, which mainly are brought here to destroy our forest reserves and destroy our water bodies and kill all of us. This must stop and I believe that effort is ongoing.”
He further stated that the restriction would not be aimed at crippling legitimate businesses or construction firms but would target loopholes that have allowed mining-related machinery to slip into the wrong hands and be used for illegal purposes.