The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has disclosed that excavators constituted the commodity with the highest import value into Ghana in 2024.
During a presentation at President John Dramani Mahama’s dialogue on illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Friday, October 3, 2025, the Minister stated that the total value of excavator imports reached a significant GHS 6.5 billion.
Mr. Buah highlighted the concerning evolution of the sector, noting that small-scale mining, which historically relied on rudimentary tools, has become complex and dominated by the use of sophisticated equipment.
“The data is clear. In 2024, the importation of excavators was the largest item by value brought into Ghana, totalling GHS 6.5 billion,” he affirmed.
Devastation of Forest Reserves
The Minister also presented alarming statistics regarding the state of the nation’s forest reserves. He revealed that in his initial briefing as Minister, he was informed that 44 out of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves have been completely destroyed, representing 16 percent of the total reserves.
He stated that some of these reserves were occupied by armed individuals, particularly between 2023 and 2024, and that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) had been previously directed not to enter these forest reserves.
This constraint, he lamented, has resulted in the destruction of 5,500 hectares of land within the reserves.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
