Owners of excavators in the country have up to the close of today, November 2, 2022, to register their equipment or risk having them seized or confiscated by the State.

The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry last week issued a seven-day ultimatum to owners of the excavators to register with their local government assemblies.

According to the Ministry, this directive forms part of the government’s plans to fight the activities of illegal miners in the country.

The government directed that all excavators in the country must be registered with the relevant local government authorities by November 2, 2022,

“An owner, operator and/or user of an excavator shall, at the time of registration, specify the purpose for which the excavator is being used or to be used and the area where the excavator is being used or will be used,” a statement from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources last week said.

As part of the registration, Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assemblies are to record the name and particulars of the owner of the excavator, the date the excavator was brought into the country, the registration number, the chassis number, the purposes for which the excavator was brought into the country, the area where the excavator is expected to be used and the name and particulars of the current operator and user of the excavator.