Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has warned international shipping companies they will face sanctions for importing excavators into Ghana without permits, as part of efforts to curb illegal small-scale mining, reported the Ghana Graphic.

Speaking to civil society groups in Accra, Mr Mahama said every excavator must be registered and traceable to its owner. He stressed that while excavators are used legally in construction and quarrying, tighter regulation is needed to prevent environmental damage.

The president said electronic monitoring systems would be introduced to track excavator operations. He blamed worsening land degradation and water pollution on the shift from artisanal mining to mechanised small-scale operations.

Mr Mahama admitted past enforcement lapses, noting that illegal miners often returned after security forces withdrew. To address this, he announced a multi-agency strategy under the National Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce, with increased troop deployment as peacekeeping duties wind down.

The government has recruited 1,000 "blue water guards" to protect rivers such as the Ankobra, offering alternative livelihoods to youth. Large-scale land reclamation using UN-backed methods is also planned.

Discussions are underway with major mining firms to allocate parts of their concessions to small-scale miners under monitored cooperative schemes. Mr Mahama said the fight against galamsey is a long-term effort requiring innovation and civil society collaboration.

He assured stakeholders of his administration's commitment and welcomed public pressure and advocacy to hold the government accountable. "We don't have any problem with that," he said.