EPA bans fabrication, importation, sale and use of ‘Chanfan’ machines 

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a directive prohibiting the fabrication, importation, sale, and use of “Chanfan” machines in Ghana, citing severe environmental destruction caused by their use on river mining activities. 

The Authority said several workshops and individuals had been manufacturing the machines without the required environmental permits or authorisation, contrary to the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124) and the Environmental Protection (Environmental Assessment) Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2504). 

“With immediate effect, the fabrication, importation, and use of Chanfan machines without EPA permits are prohibited. Any workshops or shops found producing or selling these machines will be shut down, and all existing equipment will be seized and dismantled,” it said. 

In a statement issued in Accra, the EPA said while the production and sale of Chanfan machines may have provided livelihoods for some individuals, their use in mining operations within rivers had resulted in pollution of water bodies, siltation of riverbeds, and loss of aquatic biodiversity. 

The Authority, exercising powers under Sections 3(2)(b) and 35 of Act 1124, said it was acting within its mandate to regulate and protect the environment, and to prohibit activities that posed serious risks to ecological systems and public health. 

The EPA also directed all individuals, workshops, and establishments involved in the fabrication, importation, sale, or distribution of the machines to cease operations immediately. 

Additionally, the Authority issued a final warning to individuals and companies engaged in mining within water bodies to halt such illegal activities immediately, describing them as “serious violations of national environmental and mining regulations.” 

It said its enforcement operations, in collaboration with security agencies, would ensure full compliance with the directive through monitoring, seizure, and prosecution where necessary. 

The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources, adding that safeguarding the country’s water bodies was crucial to sustaining lives, biodiversity, and national development. 

The public is encouraged to report any illegal fabrication or use of Chanfan machines and other environmentally harmful mining practices to the EPA for swift action. 

Source: GNA 

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