- Over 1,000 excavators and heavy mining equipment are now tracked in real time under a national system
- A new medium-scale mining licence category has been introduced to improve compliance and sector structure
- Equipment must now be permitted before importation, with geographic limits enforced via trackers
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, announced that 1,033 excavators and other heavy mining equipment are now being monitored in real time under the newly implemented national tracking and permitting system.
He also introduced a new medium-scale mining licence category, aimed at restructuring the sector and encouraging operators to comply with the law.
Mr. Buah made these disclosures during an official working visit by Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang to the Ministry on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
The minister explained that lax controls over the import and use of heavy mining equipment in the past had enabled illegal mining, particularly in forest reserves and along major rivers.
“Before, it was a free-for-all,” he said, noting that machines were imported without registration or oversight. “Now, every heavy equipment must be permitted before importation, and we track it once it arrives.”
The tracking system allows authorities to set geographic limits on machinery, alerting officials if equipment moves outside approved areas. “If you register an excavator for Obuasi, the tracker ensures it only operates there. Any movement elsewhere triggers a flag,” he explained.
Mr. Buah also revealed that 1,800 heavy mining machines have been registered over the past six months, a sharp improvement over previous periods when such equipment was largely unrecorded in national databases.
As part of broader sector reforms, the government has introduced the medium-scale mining licence, expanding the previous framework that only covered small- and large-scale mining. This new category is designed for operators with higher capacity while ensuring adherence to stricter environmental and regulatory standards.
“We are changing the approach,” Mr. Buah said, adding that mining approvals will now originate at the district level through proposed district mining committees, with participation from traditional authorities and local stakeholders.
The minister reaffirmed that mining will remain prohibited in forest reserves and water bodies, noting that the revocation of Mining Regulation L.I. 2462 underscores the government’s policy direction.
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang welcomed the measures, emphasizing environmental protection as a matter of national survival. “What you are doing affects life in very direct ways,” she said, reaffirming government support for safeguarding forests, water bodies, and communities impacted by illegal mining.
The Ministry stated that equipment tracking, revised licensing, and decentralized oversight are expected to improve enforcement, strengthen accountability, and significantly reduce environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
