The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (Goldbod), Sammy Gyamfi, has dismissed suggestions that the newly established statutory corporation is promoting or encouraging illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Speaking in a media interview, Mr. Gyamfi said the attempt to link Goldbod to galamsey was both misleading and unfair.
He explained that the fight against illegal mining predates the existence of the Gold Board and that it was factually impossible to attribute the long-standing menace to an institution that has only been in existence for five months.
“How can a five-month-old statutory corporation be responsible for an age-long galamsey problem? Galamsey has been with us for decades. Last year, before the Gold Board was even established, there were widespread protests against the alarming rise in galamsey activities. So how can anyone say that Goldbod is the one to blame?”
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (Goldbod), Sammy Gyamfi
According to Mr. Gyamfi, the misconceptions appeared to have been fueled by interpretations of a recent public exchange between a journalist and President John Dramani Mahama.
He noted that while the journalist’s question was legitimate, some groups had twisted the President’s response to create the impression that Goldbod was established to promote galamsey. He stressed that such an interpretation was “completely false and must be corrected.”
Mr. Gyamfi clarified that the Goldbod Act itself clearly defines the institution’s role in Ghana’s mining sector. While the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and its allied agencies, including the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency, carry the statutory responsibility to combat galamsey, Parliament deliberately mandated Goldbod to play a supportive role in ensuring environmentally sustainable mining practices.
“The Goldbod Act, under Section 3(1), provides for us to promote sustainability initiatives and support the fight against illegal mining. We don’t have the mandate to directly lead that fight. That responsibility rests with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and its allied agencies.
“What Parliament said was, since Goldbod will be operating in the gold trade space, it should support efforts at sanitizing the sector”.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (Goldbod), Sammy Gyamfi
Goldbod as a Solution
Highlighting the institution’s work since its inception, Mr. Gyamfi said Goldbod has already made significant contributions to strengthening Ghana’s fight against illegal mining.
He pointed to the support provided to the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat, which was established as a central coordinating body to ensure a more efficient and multi-sectoral fight against galamsey.
“Before we came in, the Secretariat had no money, no vehicles, and was struggling to operate. In less than five months, Goldbod has provided GH¢5 million and five Toyota Hilux vehicles to support their operations.
“We plan to add more vehicles. Since then, the renewed momentum we are witnessing in the fight against galamsey is partly due to that intervention”.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (Goldbod), Sammy Gyamfi
Mr. Gyamfi further emphasized that the Board’s efforts were not only limited to resource support but also aimed at ensuring sustainable gold production that aligns with global environmental standards.
By doing so, Goldbod seeks to strengthen the credibility of Ghana’s gold industry, attract responsible investment, and ensure that communities affected by mining benefit more equitably.
He argued that misrepresenting the Board’s role could undermine public confidence and detract from the progress made so far. Instead, he called on stakeholders to acknowledge Goldbod’s early contributions and work together in addressing the deeply rooted problem of galamsey.
Mr. Gyamfi assured the public that Goldbod will remain focused on its mandate to promote sustainable and responsible gold trading while working with all statutory agencies to reduce the devastating impact of illegal mining on Ghana’s environment, water bodies, and communities.
“Let no one be deceived. The Gold Board was established to sanitize the gold trade and support sustainable mining practices. Our track record in such a short time should convince everyone that we are part of the solution, not the problem,” he concluded.
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