The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has disclosed that 1,200 excavators imported into Ghana have been impounded at the Tema Port as part of intensified efforts to combat illegal mining.
Speaking during a sector update on Wednesday, July 23, Mr. Buah said the machinery is currently undergoing a validation process before any clearance is granted, in line with a newly introduced tracking system designed to regulate the entry and deployment of earth-moving equipment used in illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey.
“So far, 1,200 excavators have been impounded pending validation before clearance at the Tema Port,” the Minister confirmed.
He credited the development to a coordinated effort among key government agencies, including the Ministry of Transport, the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division), and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
According to him, the collaboration reflects a growing commitment to impose stricter oversight and enforce regulatory compliance at Ghana’s entry points to prevent equipment from being diverted into unauthorized mining operations.
Mr. Buah further explained that this clampdown is part of a broader anti-illegal mining strategy led by the newly inaugurated National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
Describing the unit as the “operational nerve-centre” of the government’s anti-galamsey campaign, he noted that NAIMOS integrates the nation’s security, environmental, and legal responses into a single, coordinated framework.
“NAIMOS embodies Ghana’s coordinated response to the scourge of illegal mining,” he stressed, highlighting its central role in mitigating the environmental destruction caused by unregulated mining practices.
