Ghana’s President Nana Akufo Addo has told off owners of mining equipment that were burnt down over illegal mining activities.

The president said the aggrieved business people should go to court.

The entrepreneurs had accused the government of targeting specific entities.

One of the affected companies, Xtra Golds, said

 its activities were legal and that all guidelines to cover the open pits and plant vegetation were being followed.

Critics said the government should have confiscated the mining excavators as opposed to burning them.

Small unlicensed mining operations are common in the country and have been blamed for pollution.

A taskforce formed to combat illegal mining popularly known as galamsey was behind the burning of equipment.