The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Rashid Tanko Computer, says the government is repurposing some equipment seized from illegal mining sites to support farmers and promote irrigation farming.
Speaking on the AM Show, he explained that instead of burning seized excavators and water-pumping machines, the government has begun redistributing some of the equipment to farmers as part of efforts to encourage food production and reduce the destruction of water bodies.
“You see, most of the excavators being confiscated have not been given back to them,” he said. “A lot of water pump machines have been taken and given to farmers. People bought those machines and sent them to water bodies to destroy them. We’ve confiscated them. This time we are not burning them. We give them to farmers to do irrigation farming, to feed Ghanaians.”
Tanko Computer noted that the approach is also aimed at restoring damaged water bodies affected by illegal mining activities.
According to him, there are already signs of improvement in some rivers previously polluted by mining operations.
“These are all benefits. And you can see some of the water bodies are now changing. The colour of the water is now changing back to normal,” he added.
The government continues to face criticism over its handling of the fight against illegal mining, particularly regarding accountability for seized equipment.
However, the GIFEC CEO suggested that the current strategy aligns with broader efforts to promote food security and environmental recovery.