According to the Minister of Transport, over 200 excavators land on our shores daily.
“We receive over 200 excavators daily into our port”, Joseph Nikpe Bukari said, raising alarm over the surge in heavy-duty machinery entering Ghana through Tema Port.
He described the trend as an “invasion” that presents serious regulatory and environmental challenges.
Speaking on JoyFM on Thursday, June 5, he emphasized that the sheer volume of excavators requires urgent policy intervention, especially given ongoing worries about illegal mining and unchecked construction activities.
However, the Government of Ghana has imposed an immediate ban on excavator imports in an attempt to curb the situation.
The Minister revealed that more than 1,200 excavators have been held at the port for three weeks following a temporary halt in their clearance.
“For three weeks today, when I visited the port and asked for a halt in the clearing of the excavators, we have had over 1,200 plus in the Tema Port,” he stated.
Intelligence reports indicate nearly 3,000 more excavators are currently en route to Ghana by sea, a situation Mr. Bukari described as “disturbing and worrying”.
In a statement signed by the Transport Minister, his outfit has announced a new policy requiring permits for excavators used in mining operations. The “No Permit, No Excavator” directive aims to protect Ghana’s water bodies and forests from environmental damage caused by unregulated mining activities.
