The Minister of Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has disclosed that 246 excavators have been seized since the National Democatic Congress (NDC)took office this year.

Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund (MDF) Dr Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei, had reported that 33 out of 40 excavators handed over to the police for safekeeping because there were no lowbed vehicles available to transport the equipment from the galamsey sites were missing .

Contrary to her claim, Mr Kwakye says, "No excavator has gone missing."

The Government Communicator further stated that, 518 people have been arrested so far by his office for engaging in galamsey.

He adds that once there is evidence to prove an individual guilty of galamsey, the law will be allowed to take its course without fear or favour.

"If you are seen involved in it. You will be arrested and prosecuted. So your level and the lack of it won't matter. If there is evidence that you are KingPing. you don't go to the mine and mine yourself, but you are the one basically sponsoring the activities. we will come for you as well."

Meanwhile, the government has rolled out an official order requiring all machinery used in mining operations to be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) by 1st August.

A statement issued by the Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday, July 15, states that the state will go ahead to confiscate unregistered mining equipments after the deadline.

"The Government, as part of efforts to reform the mining sector in the country, All Machinery Used in Mining Activities Must be Registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) by 1st August 2025. Equipment that remains unregistered after this deadline will be confiscated by the State," the Ministry stated on its website.

Mr Mubarak has empowered the Ghana Police Service and DVLA to begin strict enforcement of the new rule from August 2.

"The Ghana Police Service and DVLA have been directed to enforce this directive from 2nd August 2025 onward rigorously. The general public, especially those who use mining machinery, are advised to take note and comply with the directive," he wrote.

The Ministry reiterates its resolve to maintain national peace through effective internal security and law enforcement.

Meanwhile, a similar directive came in two months ago where excavator owners and operators were asked to register their machines with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) within two weeks or risk losing them to the state, as the government intensifies efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the DVLA, Julius Neequaye Kotey, issued the directive in Accra, warning that effective June 1, any excavator not registered with the DVLA will be confiscated.

Speaking at a press briefing, Mr. Kotey announced that the Ghana Police Service and the DVLA’s operational team commenced a nationwide enforcement after the deadline, arresting and impounding excavators being used at mining sites or for commercial purposes without proper documentation.

“This exercise will help identify every excavator that enters the country and trace how it is being used. The goal is to ensure we can monitor and hold people accountable,” Mr. Kotey said.

The directive fell in line with Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683), which mandates the registration of all motor vehicles and trailers, including farm and heavy-duty equipment.

Despite the law, the DVLA found many unregistered excavators operating in mining areas, some of which have been used in illegal activities.

Mr. Kotey emphasized that the DVLA, with its 34 offices nationwide, could register all excavators and farm machinery within two weeks and was ready to strictly enforce the directive.

“Excavators in the hands of illegal miners have worsened the destruction of our environment. This is why we must act,” Mr Kotey said.

To further control the situation, the DVLA, in collaboration with key agencies like the Minerals Commission, National Security, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), commenced tagging all newly imported excavators.

In addition to tagging new imports, the Minerals Commission was tasked to lead a team that would tag all excavators already in the country.

Legal small-scale mining sites have also been geo-fenced, with their site coordinates integrated into the Ghana Mine Repository and Tracking software for better oversight.

The move is part of broader government efforts to combat illegal mining.

Three months ago, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah announced the rollout of a system to monitor excavator imports and usage, involving port tagging and digital tracking in partnership with several state agencies.

According to the sector minister. The third most valuable item imported into this country is excavators, and it is worth GHC6.2 billion.

However, a joint Military-Forestry Commission task force that conducted targeted operations in high-risk districts across the Ashanti, Western, and Western North Regions led to the seizure of 100 excavators, three bulldozers, and four vehicles.