Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have shut five Chinese-owned warehouses at Anwia Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region. The facilities secretly stored and assembled “changfan” machines used for illegal mining activities. Each warehouse was registered as a spare-parts business to conceal its true purpose. However, inspections uncovered hundreds of assembled machines and loose parts linked to galamsey operations.
The EPA announced that this action followed its nationwide directive banning changfan machines. The machines contribute heavily to environmental destruction, especially within mining communities across Ghana. Officials stressed that the decision aims to protect water bodies, forests, and farmland. They described the equipment as highly destructive, causing severe pollution and land degradation.
According to the Agency, the warehouses operated without approved environmental permits. This violated key provisions under the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124). It also breached requirements under the Environmental Assessment Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2504). EPA officials emphasised that the violations showed deliberate disregard for national environmental laws.
EPA Chief Executive Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse led the enforcement exercise. She stated that the operation forms part of a national crackdown on illegal mining. The crackdown specifically targets machinery producers, equipment suppliers, and illegal mining networks. She explained that destroying supply chains will weaken galamsey operations significantly.
Professor Klutse also confirmed that similar enforcement activities will occur in other regions. She said the EPA will intensify inspections at suspected warehouses and workshops. Officials will also track illegal imports and monitor suspicious business registrations nationwide.
The EPA warned that any organisation or individual breaching environmental directives will face prosecution. The Agency urged the public to report suspicious equipment storage sites. It encouraged communities to support efforts to protect natural resources from illegal mining. Officials assured the public that strict enforcement will continue without interference or hesitation.
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