The Interior Minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has stated that 70 excavators impounded from illegal mining (galamsey) operators will be given to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to back a countrywide drain-clearing drive aimed at curbing Ghana’s recurring flood crisis.
The Minister explained that the machines, seized during illegal mining raids, will be repurposed for public service to help upgrade drainage networks and cut flood damage, especially in cities like Accra.
Mr. Muntaka revealed this while answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday, June 10, as he detailed steps government is taking to fix Accra’s annual flooding and boost sanitation.
“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.
“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.”
Flooding continues to plague many parts of Ghana, with Accra hardest hit, as downpours often trigger major property loss, resident displacement, and business interruptions. Analysts have long blamed blocked gutters, reckless waste disposal, and illegal building on water paths as key drivers of city flooding.
