At the Mining in Motion conference in Accra on Monday, 19 October, President John Mahama announced that almost 200 firearms had been seized from illegal miners as part of a broader operation that confiscated more than 8,200 items used in the illicit activity.
The president noted that the haul included 135 excavators and various other pieces of equipment such as Chan‑fan machines that are commonly employed in illegal mining operations.
"We have achieved some successes in the fight against illegal mining," Mahama said. "We have confiscated more than 8,200 items; this includes Chan‑fan machines, excavators and other equipment used in illegal mining. We have confiscated 135 excavators that were used in illegal mining, and we have retrieved almost 200 firearms that people involved in illegal mining have," he added.
Mahama praised the teams working to curb the menace and reiterated the government’s commitment to continue enforcement operations across the country.
