The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has impounded 1,250 excavators at various ports across Ghana in a bold move to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
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Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, disclosed this on JoyNews’s Newsfile on Saturday, June 21. She emphasized that the government is stepping up its fight against galamsey, with the IGP now leading the charge.
“The government, through the IGP, has impounded 1,250 excavators at our ports,” Ms. Muslim stated. “This is part of the effort to dismantle the machinery driving illegal mining operations.”
She added that the police are working closely with relevant authorities to investigate why such a large number of heavy-duty machines were imported into the country.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is also supporting the initiative. Ms. Muslim noted that the DVLA is helping track excavators already operating nationwide.
“We’re looking at the supply and demand issues. Why are these machines coming in? If you can’t prove they’re for legitimate construction work, you won’t be allowed to clear them,” she said.
Ms. Muslim reaffirmed the government’s broader plan to protect Ghana’s environment and hold those responsible for illegal mining accountable.
She stressed that tracking and regulating excavators is crucial to ending the ongoing destruction of land and water bodies.
