The Government of Ghana is taking bold steps to combat illegal mining, also known as galamsey, by announcing a move to restrict the importation of excavators—a key tool used in the environmentally destructive activity.

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, who made the announcement, likened the perpetrators to “terrorists,” accusing them of endangering lives and destroying natural ecosystems, especially water bodies.

He emphasized the importance of collective national effort in addressing the crisis and highlighted the government’s Blue Water Guard Initiative as a major strategy to restore Ghana’s polluted rivers and streams.

The Minister also called on all stakeholders—local communities, traditional authorities, and enforcement agencies—to join forces in the fight against galamsey.