Editor’s Note:

JoyNews initially reported on its radio and social media platforms that the movement of hundreds of excavators from the Tema Port to undisclosed locations raised concerns of possible wrongdoing, particularly their potential link to illegal small-scale mining activities, known locally as galamsey.

Following this report, the government, through the Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has clarified that the equipment is not being cleared for use but relocated to alternative holding areas, including military installations such as Michel Camp, to decongest the port while due diligence is conducted.

This story includes the government’s official response to provide clarity and ensure a balanced account of the situation.

Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe has dismissed suspicions that hundreds of imported excavators sighted at the Tema Port are being cleared for use.

According to him, the equipment is only being moved to alternative holding areas, including Michel Camp, as part of efforts to decongest the port and make room for other businesses while due diligence is carried out.

“We’re not clearing; we’re only decongesting the port,” the Minister clarified in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story.

He indicated that a committee has been set up to assess the rationale behind their arrival in the country and to ensure that the necessary approvals from institutions such as the Minerals Commission and the DVLA are followed before any clearance.

Sources earlier told JoyNews that the earthmoving machines were being transported from the port under the cover of night, raising concerns about their potential link to illegal small-scale mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.

• Read also: Ghana is the highest importer of excavators in West Africa, 2nd in Africa – JoyNews Research

But Mr. Nikpe stressed that the mass movement to some Military installations was purely procedural and intended to maintain order at the port.

He added that the government has instituted a strict “no permit, no import” policy to prevent unauthorised equipment from entering the country.

A JoyNews Research analysis of trade data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) put Ghana as the highest importer of excavators in West Africa, outspending Nigeria by more than double.

According to the data, Ghana spent $205 million on excavator imports in 2023, while Nigeria, with a much larger economy and landmass, spent only $94 million.

On the continental scale, Ghana ranked second, trailing only South Africa, which imported excavators worth $436 million within the same period.

The development comes at a time when the government is ramping up measures to clamp down on the importation of machinery that could contribute to illegal mining, which continues to devastate the country’s water bodies and environment.