The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has revealed that a pilot initiative is currently underway to track over 191 excavators as part of government’s renewed efforts to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The tracking is being carried out from a dedicated control room at the Minerals Commission, using geofencing and geo-tracking technology to monitor the movement and use of heavy mining equipment across the country.
The initiative is anchored on the Minerals and Mining (Mineral Operations – Tracking of Earth Moving and Mining Equipment) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2404), which mandates the registration and monitoring of all earth-moving and mining machinery.
It ensures that such equipment is only used within approved and licensed mining zones.
READ: Galamsey: 1,345 arrested, 425 excavators seized with prosecution ongoing – Lands Minister
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, July 23, the Ellembelle MP stated, “A pilot project of over 191 excavators is currently being tracked in the dedicated control room of the Minerals Commission. And this is very, very innovative. This is very, very new. As you know, we are now able to track the excavators before they even set off to come to Ghana. And when they get there, the Minerals Commission, DVLA, everybody is there.”
“And we are also tracking them to the geofencing and geo-tracking control room at the Minerals Commission. And we believe that we are going to get to that point where every movement of excavator in this country is actually regulated.”
He added that the long-term goal is to ensure every excavator in Ghana is fully traceable, with its movement and operation strictly regulated.
The Minister also highlighted the role of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), describing it as the central coordinating body overseeing the legal, environmental, and security dimensions of Ghana’s anti-galamsey campaign.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
