Claim: Ghana imported GH¢6.2 billion worth of excavators in 2024

Source: Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources

Verdict: Misleading

Researched by Nusrat Essah

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, while discussing the issue of illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), claimed that in 2024, Ghana imported GH¢6.2 billion worth of excavators. 

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Point of View programme on March 26, 2025, he said: “I talked about some statistics we have, last year 2024, 6.2 billion (cedis) value, that is the value of galamsey equipment, excavators that we brought into the country. Obviously, those small guys in those districts will not have that amount….” 

GhanaFact noted that the minister mentioned a similar amount during an interview with JoyNews on March 22, 2025, stating that the amount ranked as the country’s third-highest import in 2024.

“More importantly, let me say something about excavators. Yeah, I put out the number there, GH¢6.2 billion worth of the value. That is the third highest in terms of value of things imported,” he said. (watch 01 sec to 17 secs) 

 Fact-Check

To verify this claim, GhanaFact reviewed the 2024 Trade Report published by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

The report ranked the 2024 top 10 imported commodities by their import value (GH¢) and shared imports (%).

According to the data, the third-highest imported item was listed as “Self-propelled bulldozers… with a 360° revolving superstructure” with an import value of GH¢ 6,195,027,863, representing 2.5% of total imports.

Fig1: Screenshot of 2024 top 10 imported commodities from GSS report

From the above, the report does not explicitly mention “excavators” or describe the bulldozers as being used for galamsey.

However, GhanaFact checks show that self-propelled bulldozers with a 360° revolving superstructure are typically a range of mechanical machines that include excavators. 

The GSS defines machinery and electrical equipment in the Trade Report as: “Products for which the 2-digit HS code is “84” or “85”, which includes all products that fall under “nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof” and “electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof”.”

A search of HS digit code “84” led to Statistics Canada’s website, where a full list of machines under the “bulldozers with a 360° revolving superstructure” are captured. 

They include Self-propelled bulldozers, angle dozers, graders, levellers, scrapers, mechanical shovels, excavators, shovel loaders, tamping machines, and road rollers.

Fig 2 – Screenshot from Statistics Canada website

The GSS report does not indicate that the GH¢ 6,195,027,863 import figure was exclusively for the importation of excavators but a range of self-propelled bulldozers with a 360° revolving superstructure. 

Therefore, the GH¢6.2 billion import value alluded to by the minister is captured in the GSS Trade Report, but it is in respect of self-propelled bulldozers with a 360° revolving superstructure, which denotes a range of mechanical equipment, not exclusively excavators.

Verdict

The claim is rated misleading.

Note: GhanaFact has reached out to GSS for comments on the issue. We will incorporate their responses when we receive it.