President John Dramani Mahama says government has tightened controls on excavator imports to prevent their diversion into illegal mining.
At his first media engagement on Wednesday, September 10, the President disclosed that out of 1,200 excavators imported into the country, 1,015 have already been registered, with 647 fitted with tracking devices.
The initiative, coordinated by the Ministry of Transport in partnership with the Finance Ministry, GRA Customs Division, and the Ports and Harbors Authority, is designed to ensure that every machine is monitored from entry at Ghana’s ports to its final deployment.
“The new system makes sure every excavator is accounted for,” Mahama stressed. “This is part of a broader effort to stop galamsey and bring accountability to the use of heavy equipment.”
According to the President, the Minerals Commission is overseeing the installation of tracking devices, while the DVLA manages registration. An additional 315 trackers are expected by September 12 to expand coverage.
He revealed that about 600 excavators are still at Tema Port, awaiting clearance under the new approval regime.
