The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a nationwide ban on the fabrication, importation, and use of Changfan machines — equipment widely used in illegal small-scale mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.
According to the EPA, the move forms part of renewed efforts to curb the devastating environmental impact of illegal mining, which continues to destroy river bodies, farmlands, and forest reserves across Ghana.
In a statement, EPA emphasised that the use of Changfan machines — floating platforms equipped with engines and pumps used for dredging riverbeds — has been one of the main contributors to the pollution of major water bodies.
The EPA warned that any individual or entity found manufacturing, importing, or operating these machines would face prosecution in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act and other relevant mining regulations.
The EPA noted that the fabrication of Changfan machines is being undertaken without the requisite environmental permits or authorization, in clear violation of the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124) and the Environmental Protection (Environmental Assessment) Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2504).
According to EPA, while the fabrication and sale of these Changfan machines have served as a source of livelihood for some individuals, their use in river mining activities has resulted in severe environmental degradation — including the pollution of water bodies, siltation of riverbeds, and the destruction of aquatic ecosystems due to galamsey.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on the Environmental Protection Authority under sections 3(2)(b) and 35 of the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124)… the following directive is hereby issued,” the statement said.
The directive prohibits the fabrication, importation, and use of Changfan machines without an EPA permit. It further cautions that “any workshops or shops found producing or selling these machines will be shut down,
Illegal small-scale mining, or galamsey, has remained a major environmental and socio-economic challenge in Ghana.
Despite several government interventions, including military operations and regulatory reforms, the problem persists due to weak enforcement and the high demand for gold.
The EPA’s latest directive signals a renewed determination to address the menace comprehensively by targeting the equipment that fuels the illegal trade.
