The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has indicated that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have been given the responsibility of overseeing the decommissioning and demobilization of the equipment used for illegal mining.

According to him, he would rather refer to the exercise as a "decommissioning and demobilization of equipment" and not simply burning of excavators as it is being called.

“There has been a big debate in the country about, I don’t call it burning of excavators, I don’t use that word.

“I call it decommissioning or demobilizing of equipment which are used for illegal mining, the Ghana Armed Forces are engaged in the decommissioning or demobilizing of equipment which are used for mining illegalities in our country”, the Minister of Land and Natural Resources said.

Mr Jinapor made this statement during a press briefing to address the fight against illegal mining in the country.

Recently, the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul disclosed that two Chinese nationals had been arrested in an operation to clamp down on the activities of illegal miners on various water bodies in the country.

According to Mr Nitiwul, the two are currently in the grips of the National Operation, undergoing further interrogations and awaiting prosecution.

The arrests follow a directive by President Akufo-Addo for all logistics and persons engaged in mining on water bodies to be removed.

The Defence Minister also assured that, unlike in the past, no equipment will be taken into custody. They will all be destroyed once they are seized.