Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, disclosed that 1,200 excavators imported into the nation were seized at the Tema Port as part of an attempt to stop galamsey, the illegal use of earthmoving machinery in mining.
On Wednesday, July 23, the Minister gave a sector update, explaining that the confiscated machinery is presently being validated before being cleared as part of a new tracking program designed to control the entry and usage of mining equipment throughout Ghana.
“So far, 1,200 excavators have been impounded pending validation before clearance at the Tema Port,” he said.
“NAIMOS embodies Ghana’s coordinated response to the scourge of illegal mining, integrating security, environmental, and legal responses into a unified operational strategy,” he stated.
Mr. Buah credited the action to improved cooperation among the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division), the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Transportation in order to impose stricter controls at the nation’s entrance points.
This operation is a component of a larger plan led by the recently formed National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), which the Minister referred to as the “operational nerve center” for Ghana’s continuous battle against illicit small-scale mining and the environmental harm it causes.
Source: newsthemegh.com