Illegal mining :Ghana tightens excavator controls as over 4,000 machines await port clearance

The government has tightened controls on the importation and clearance of excavators as more than 4,000 machines remain at Ghana’s ports awaiting clearance under a new documentation and verification regime.

The development forms part of measures being implemented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to strengthen oversight of mining equipment and prevent excavators from being diverted to illegal mining activities.

Speaking during a strategic working visit and policy dialogue between the Ministry and the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in Accra, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said importers are now required to provide detailed information before excavators can be cleared.

Under the new system, importers must establish who is bringing in the equipment, its intended end user and where the excavator is expected to operate.

The Minerals Commission has also established a presence at the ports to support the verification and clearance process.

According to the Minister, excavators that meet the requirements could subsequently be fitted with tracking technology and geofenced to their declared operational areas.

The proposed tracking system is intended to enable authorities to monitor the movement and location of excavators and establish greater accountability for heavy equipment used in Ghana’s mining sector.

Commercial importers who bring excavators into the country for resale have also been asked to provide evidence of legitimate orders and prospective end users.

The new controls represent a shift toward addressing illegal mining through the equipment supply chain, rather than focusing solely on the seizure of machinery after it has reached mining sites.

The move comes amid intensified government efforts to combat illegal mining, particularly in forest reserves and around water bodies.

Figures presented by the Ministry, current as of July 2026, indicate that 200 excavators had been seized and 34 immobilised during operations in forest reserves.

The Ministry also reported the seizure or immobilisation of thousands of pumping and changfan machines used in illegal mining operations.

The government’s latest approach therefore seeks to establish a traceable chain from the point an excavator enters Ghana to its declared end user and operating location.

The effectiveness of the system will depend on how consistently the verification, tracking and enforcement measures are implemented and whether authorities can prevent equipment cleared for legitimate operations from being diverted to illegal mining sites.