Road Minister tells earth-moving equipment owners to register

The Ministry of Transport has urged owners of earth-moving equipment and those who hire such machines to register and license them with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) not later than March 31, this year.

A statement signed by the Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, said the licensing of all earth-moving equipment was part of efforts "to sanitise and regularise mining operations in the country”.

It reminded affected persons and institutions that "a person who uses or keeps a motor vehicle or trailer not being an exempt motor vehicle on a road when particulars of the motor vehicle or trailer have not been entered in the register maintained by the licensing authority, in accordance with Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act, 2004, Act 683, commits an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding 250 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or to both".

Background

The call comes as the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), as part of the measures to check illegal mining, is tracking all earth-moving equipment such as excavators and bulldozers for licensing and registration at the DVLA.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is part of the IMCIM.

The DVLA is mandated by law to license and register all motorised vehicles.

Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah