Spokesperson for the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mahmud Kobore, has disclosed that during the entire eight-year tenure of the Nana Akufo-Addo–Bawumia administration, not a single excavator was officially registered in Ghana.

Speaking in an interview on Kessben FM on Tuesday, Mr. Kobore revealed that despite the country importing excavators valued at GHS 6.2 million under the previous government, there was no mechanism in place to track the machinery—much of which, he said, was used in illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.

He emphasised that the new Mahma-led administration, under the leadership of Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, is taking decisive steps to reform the system and clamp down on illegal mining by ensuring that all excavators are now registered.

This registration drive is being carried out in collaboration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) under the Ministry of Transport, and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) under the Ministry of Finance.

Mr. Kobore announced that all excavator owners have been given until August 1, 2025, to register their machines.

Failure to comply, he warned, will result in the confiscation of unregistered excavators, which will then be incorporated into the District Infrastructure Programme (DRIP) as government property.

“All unregistered excavators will be treated like ‘Togo cars’—confiscated with no compensation,” he stated, referencing the local term for illegally imported or undocumented vehicles.

He further noted that the new policy will enable the Ministry to trace the ownership of any excavator found at illegal mining sites, thereby enhancing accountability and enforcement.