Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, has revealed that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has impounded a total of 1,250 excavators at various ports across the country.

She said this forms part of efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey in the country.

"I want to assure Ghanaians that the government, through the IGP (Christian Tetteh Yohuno), who is really now the lead in terms of fighting the galamsey, has impounded 1,250 excavators at our ports," she disclosed this during her appearance on JoyNews’s Newsfile programme on Saturday, 21st June.

According to Ms Muslim, the police, in collaboration with relevant authorities, are currently investigating the reasons behind the importation of such a large number of heavy-duty machines, adding that the government is also working closely with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to track all excavators currently in use across the country.

"We are working with DVLA to track all these excavators because obviously there are supply and demand issues, so we are trying to deal with those blockages," adding that "What are these excavators coming to do? And if you have no proof that you are bringing in these excavators for construction works, you don't dare to clear these excavators."

Ms Muslim emphasised that these interventions form part of the broader strategy by the current NDC administration to curb the menace of illegal mining, which continues to damage Ghana’s environment and threaten its economic integrity.

The tracking and regulation of excavators, she said, are critical to ending the indiscriminate degradation of land and water bodies.

The spokesperson reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring environmental order and holding accountable those who fuel the galamsey economy.