Armah Buah Asks: GH¢6.2bn Worth Of Excavators Imported To Ghana For What?

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has disclosed that about GH¢6.2 billion worth of excavators were imported into the country last year.

Speaking to journalists in Accra yesterday, he wondered the basis for the importation of the large volumes of the excavators if they are not meant for illegal mining businesses.

He, therefore, called on the media to help his ministry fight against illegal mining that is destroying the country’s vegetation cover

The purpose of the meeting was to demystify the complex and multifaceted issue of illegal mining and to secure their active participation in combating the menace around waterbodies and forest reserves.

The meeting, though planned earlier, coincided with reports of an attack on Forestry Commission officers.

According to Armah-Kofi Buah, this incident exemplifies the composite nature of the problem and underscores the need for inclusive, decisive and radical measures to permanently address the challenge.

During the engagement on Monday, March 24, 2025, the Lands Minister provided a detailed account of the galamsey situation as inherited by the Mahama government.

He disclosed that at the time of the Mahama government’s arrival, nine forest reserves in the country were completely under the control of illegal miners.

Another alarming statistic disclosed by the Minister during the meeting was the turbidity levels of water treated by the Ghana Water Company Limited, which ranged from 5,000 to 12,000 NTU, with a vast area comparable to thirty football fields consumed by illegal mining.

Having presented the situation to the press, Mr Armah-Kofi Buah outlined policy measures and initiatives by his government to stem the flow and eradicate the canker.

He stated that the government’s anti-galamsey drive is anchored on five key principles: enforcement of existing laws, overhauling of existing structures, intensified stakeholder engagements, deployment of technology, and public sensitization.

The Minister explained that reports from some committees identified the licensing regime in the small-scale mining sector as a major contributor to the thriving galamsey menace.

The Lands Minister noted that the centralization of the licensing process meant that traditional rulers and District/Municipal and Metropolitan Executives were excluded from the process, which affected their ability to exercise supervisory responsibilities over illegal mining activities.

As a result, the NDC government has decided to decentralize the licensing regime, ensuring that traditional rulers and District Security Councils become the first point of approval for granting mining licenses.

“We are doing about five things. One, we are strengthening enforcement. Working with law enforcement agents, you will see that enforcement is being intensified.

“We are making structural changes because, frankly, if a district commander has been at a mining site for five years, it’s time for a change. We also have to work with the military.

“But you know, that is already being intensified. I’m sad to note that efforts were made in the past, but from 2022, the military never entered the forest and that also added to the problem. We’ve also started engaging chiefs as part of stakeholder engagement.

“I’ve talked about technology. We think, as part of this, we must also use technology. The Ministry has established a whole technology sector with monitoring capabilities.

“In some areas where this has been implemented, it’s working very well because we can monitor the areas and see whether an excavator is within its mining area or moving away. We can track and take action. But it has to be expanded. We are also looking at the possibility of deploying technology in forest reserves,” he said.

Armah-Kofi Buah made a passionate appeal to the media to be vocal and objective in the fight against illegal mining. Urging against the politicization of the issue, he emphasised the media’s role as the fourth estate of the realm and encouraged them to use their platforms to support the government’s efforts.

The media practitioners commended the Minister for the engagement and efforts so far made and promised to use their platforms to amplify the fight against illegal mining.

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