In a bid to curb the destructive activities of illegal miners, the government is considering restrictions on the importation of excavators into the country.
According to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the move is aimed at addressing the alarming rate of environmental degradation caused by unregulated mining operations.
Speaking at a press engagement in Accra, the minister expressed deep concern over the scale of destruction caused by galampy operators, saying it was time for drastic action.
“We believe that the time has come for us to basically restrict the import of excavators in this country,” the minister stated.
“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 the effort is ongoing” he added.
The minister emphasized that the proposed restriction is not intended to cripple legitimate businesses or construction firms, but rather to target loopholes that have allowed mining-related machinery to fall into the wrong hands.
The move is part of a broader effort by the government to address the issue of illegal mining, which has become a major environmental concern in recent years.