According to President Nana Akufo-Addo, the production, distribution, and sale of chanfangs—the equipment used for illegal mining on riverbeds—are now prohibited.
The president mentioned that the action is a part of his government’s anti-galamsey actions in an interview he gave while on a recent three-day tour of the Eastern Region.
Additionally, he added, “We have greatly enhanced the degree of sanctions against those who indulge in galamsey.”
“Today, Ghanaians who get involve will get a 15-year minimum sentence if convicted and foreigners will get as long as a 25-year imprisonment if convicted,” said the president.
He noted that “in a democratic dispensation if you want a change, the first thing to do is advocacy to change public opinion.”
Also, he said the anti-galamsey team, ‘Operation Halt’, has been given a boost to undertake its task.
“The problem was that we disengaged too quickly, once the first plot has gone through, this year we have decided to use the whole year to maintain Operation Halt, especially, the fight on our river bodies,” he said.
“Surveyors have taken charge of impactful machines, excavators and chanfang and they are being destroyed because it is our major problem in our mining.”