It has been claimed that the drones purchased by the government to monitor galamsey activities in the country have become a white elephant.

According to a tweet by Ghana Mu Nsemsem and seen by GhanaWeb Business, the 200 drones, valued at $3 million, were non-functional.

"In a response to the severe bird flu outbreak in South Africa, Namibia has suspended all imports of live poultry and poultry products from its neighboring country.

The decision comes as a result of the rapid and alarming spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in various regions of South Africa.

It said, "The government of Ghana in 2020 purchased 200 drones to supervise galamsey activities nationwide at a cost of $3million."

"However, reports indicate that all of these drones are currently non-functional and this is the state of River Ankobra as we captured just yesterday. #OccupyJulorbiHouse," it added.

Additionally, a video depicted the milky brown transformation of River Ankobra, a consequence of galamsey operations.

In an endeavor to combat illegal mining, often referred to as 'galamsey,' the government procured over 200 drones capable of capturing real-time images in districts where this practice is prevalent.

The deployment of drones formed a crucial component of the government's comprehensive strategy to crack down on illegal miners, whose actions have wrought havoc on the nation's land and water resources.

Security personnel and other individuals responsible for operating these devices at the district level underwent training at the George Grant University of Mines and Technology as part of this initiative.

Read the tweet below;