The government is set to redeploy 70 excavators seized from illegal miners for a nationwide desilting exercise aimed at reducing flooding across the country.
Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, announced that the equipment will be handed over to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to clear drains and improve water flow in flood-prone areas.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen flood prevention and enhance environmental sanitation.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 10, the Minister explained that the excavators were confiscated during anti-galamsey operations and would now be repurposed for productive national use.
“Currently, what we are doing is that all the seized excavators from the illegal mining activities – we agreed that about 70 of them should be given to NADMO so that they can take them across the country to do desilting,” he said.
Mr Muntaka added that the handover is scheduled for next week to enable NADMO to begin desilting major drains nationwide.
“We will do the handover next week so that they can use them to desilt most of the drains but the bottom line is we should begin to clean our surroundings,” he stated.
Flooding remains a perennial challenge in many parts of Ghana, especially in Accra, where heavy rains frequently cause extensive damage to property, disrupt livelihoods and displace residents.
Experts attribute the recurring floods largely to choked drains, indiscriminate waste disposal and construction on waterways, highlighting the need for consistent and proactive preventive measures.