By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has stated that importers of excavators would have to seek prior approval from the Ministry of Transport while also verified by shipping lines and customs.
Presenting the 2026 budget statement on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Dr. Forson announced that as part of plans to end illegal mining, the Minerals Commission has begun installing GPS tracking on heavy equipment for real-time monitoring.
According to him, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has began coordinating enforcement across agencies. “A dedicated force of 1,000 officers, equipped with surveillance and logistics, is deployed nationwide”, he said.
He also explained that their operations have dismantled illegal camps, seized 51 excavators, four heavy- duty trucks, and 350 pumps, and handed 33 foreign nationals to immigration authorities for prosecution.
Dr. Forson added that, to formalise small-scale mining, Government launched the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) in August 2025. Three cooperative schemes, namely, Obuasi, Bibiani, and Anwia-Teleku Bokazo, have also been launched to promote responsible mining and rehabilitation.
He added that the Blue Water Guard Initiative recruited 983 guards nationwide to protect rivers and wetlands all in a bid to end the illegal mining canker. According to him, a review of mining licences led to 300 revocations for non- compliance.
Looking forward, the Finance Minister announced that the Minerals and Mining Policy (2014) and Act 703 (2006) are under review. The update according to him will streamline mandates, strengthen the Minerals Development Fund, and introduce an artisanal and medium-scale mining category to bridge regulatory gaps.
