NPP failed to monitor excavators, but things have changed under Armah-Kofi Buah - Schandorf

The spokesperson for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Paa Kwesi Schandorf, has criticised the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration for failing to establish what he called an effective regulatory system to monitor the importation and deployment of excavators in mining communities between 2017 and 2024.

According to him, the absence of a robust monitoring framework during the period created a situation in which heavy-duty equipment could be imported into the country and deployed for mining activities without adequate regulatory oversight.

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Speaking in an interview on Joy News on November 10, 2026, Schandorf described excavators as the principal equipment used in the destruction of the environment through illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

He said the situation under the previous administration was largely a “free-for-all affair”, as excavators entered the country without proper checks to establish their intended use or monitor their movements.

However, he noted that the situation has changed under the current administration, following measures introduced under the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to strengthen the monitoring and regulation of excavators.

Schandorf explained that individuals seeking to import excavators for mining purposes must now obtain clearance from the Minerals Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to demonstrate that they are legitimate small-scale miners and that the equipment is intended for authorised mining operations.

He added that after obtaining the necessary clearance, the excavators are fitted with GPS tracking devices by the Minerals Commission to enable authorities to monitor their movements in real time.

According to him, the system allows authorities to identify when an excavator moves beyond its approved operational location.

Using Swedru as an example, he explained that if an excavator is registered to operate in the area but is subsequently detected in Winneba without authorisation, the equipment can immediately be disabled.

Schandorf disclosed that approximately 1,300 excavators are currently being monitored through the tracking system, while between 5,000 and 6,000 excavators have been impounded for failing to provide satisfactory justification for their importation and intended use.

“But I'm saying that between 2017 and 2024, we didn't have this kind of arrangement. So imagine if we were in that period. It means 6,000-5,000 excavators would have come into the system, gone into the mining communities and what would have been the outcomes?” he said.



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