The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has announced that the government will begin geotagging and geofencing excavators imported into Ghana.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, April 3, the minister explained that the initiative aims to monitor and track excavators from the moment they arrive at the country’s ports.

“We believe that this programme of geotagging and geofencing must be expanded to include excavators as soon as they arrive at the ports,” Mr. Buah stated, highlighting the need for tighter control over mining equipment entering the country.

This announcement comes amid increasing concerns about the environmental and social consequences of illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, which has long been a significant issue in Ghana.

“It doesn’t make any sense that the third most valuable item we import into this country, worth 6.2 billion cedis, is excavators,” Mr. Buah remarked.

“These machines are brought here to destroy our forest reserves, pollute our water bodies, and harm our people. This must stop.”he added.

Although he acknowledged that discussions are still ongoing and it is too early to reveal all the specifics of the plan, he stressed that the government is seriously considering restricting the importation of excavators.

“We are focusing on discussions, but we believe the time has come to restrict the import of excavators into this country,” he said.

The geotagging and geofencing initiative is part of the government's broader efforts to address the illegal mining crisis.

By tracking excavators through geotagging and creating virtual boundaries with geofencing, the government hopes to prevent these machines from being used in destructive and illegal mining activities.

“We believe this effort is ongoing, and we are committed to stopping these destructive activities,” Mr. Buah concluded, reaffirming the government's determination to protect the country's natural resources and combat illegal mining.