Transport Ministry goes after unlicensed excavators, bulldozers others used in mining

The Ministry of Transport has served notice it will by March 31, 2019, go after mining companies that have refused to register all their earth-moving vehicles including bulldozers and excavators but are using them for operations in violation of the law, MyNewsGh.com reports.

A statement issued and signed by the sector Minister, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah observed that the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) is mandated by law to license and register all motorized vehicles but noted that this has been flouted by owners of some of these vehicles who are using them at their mining sites

To this end, he has given them up to March 31, 2019, for such persons to register them with the DVLA if they have not done so indicating that it is part of efforts to sanitize and regularize mining operations in the country.

This he added, is also part of measures being instituted by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) to track all earth moving equipment.

Read the full statement below

As part of efforts to sanitise and regularise mining operations in the country, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (1MCIM) Is tracking all earth moving equipment (excavators, bulldozers etc.) for licensing and registration with the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Authority mandated by law to license and register all motorised vehicles.

In furtherance of its mandate, the Ministry of Transport, through its Agency the DVLA in collaboration with the IMCIM and with the active support of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, wishes to bring to the prompt attention of owners of earth moving equipment (excavators, bulldozers etc.), as well as those who hire these equipment, to, as soon as possible, and not later than 31st March, 2019, license and register them with the DVLA, if they have not done so already.

The affected persons and institutions are kindly advised to take note that “a person who uses or keeps a motor vehicle or trailer not being an exempt motor vehicle on a road when particulars of the motor vehicle or trailer have not been entered in the register maintained by the licensing authority in accordance with section 39 of the Road Traffic Act, 2004, Act 683, commits an offence and Is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 250 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or to both”.

The general public is accordingly notified to comply with the directive.