President John Dramani Mahama has laid out an ambitious and forward-thinking blueprint for Ghana’s mining sector, emphasizing value addition, environmental accountability, and expanded Ghanaian ownership.
Speaking at the Mining in Motion Summit 2025 in Accra, President Mahama declared that the era of concession giveaways and extractive dependency is over.
Rejecting what he described as a “Guggisberg-style” concession system—a reference to colonial-era mining policies that prioritized foreign capital at the expense of national interest—President Mahama declared that the future of Ghana’s mining sector lies in strong Ghanaian participation.
“In the past, huge concessions were carved out for foreign mining interests.
“That situation has changed now. Ghana has a huge human resource with expertise in every aspect of the extractive sector.”
President John Dramani Mahama
He reiterated Ghana’s openness to foreign investment but stressed that partnerships must now reflect mutual respect, shared benefits, and local empowerment.
“We welcome foreign investors to partner with us in our extractive sector, but the Guggisberg-style concession grabbing is over.
“We will soon codify our thoughts concerning increased Ghanaian participation, using vehicles like the stock exchange and other instruments.”
President John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama also announced a significant breakthrough in the fight against illegal mining, or galamsey, particularly in protected forest reserves.
“We’ve successfully removed illegal miners from eight out of nine forest reserves previously designated as no-go zones.
“This is a major milestone in the renewed effort to reclaim degraded lands and promote responsible mining.”
President John Dramani Mahama
He further addressed the influx and misuse of excavators—a key tool in illegal operations—promising stricter import controls and digital tracking mechanisms.
“We will track excavators to know whether they are being used for illegal mining. Ghana currently has more excavators than the rest of Africa combined.
“The new permitting regime will not allow you to import any excavator unless you have a valid permit to do so.”
President John Dramani Mahama
Goldbod earned Ghana $2.7bn
Between January and April 2025, Ghana’s gold exports earned the nation an impressive $2.7 billion.
President Mahama emphasized that these figures are just the beginning. “This will increase exponentially,” he noted, citing reforms being spearheaded by Goldbod—the national gold aggregator—which now plays a central role not only in gold exports but also in promoting sustainable practices.
“Goldbod is not only about exporting gold. It will soon roll out a track-and-trace system to ensure that Ghana’s gold exports are procured from environmentally sustainable sources.”
President John Dramani Mahama
The president’s remarks set the tone for what is being hailed as a new era of responsible and inclusive mining. At the core of this transformation is the Ghana Gold Board (Goldbod), which is redefining how gold is tracked, traded, and exported.
According to President Mahama, the tracking system will enforce accountability, ensuring that gold exported from Ghana meets environmental and ethical standards.
Formalising Artisanal Mining
A key pillar of President Mahama’s mining reform agenda is the formalization and empowerment of artisanal and small-scale miners.
Through programmes such as the Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme and the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project, the government aims to legalize, train, and support these operators.
“Artisanal miners are not enemies of the state. When properly trained and supported, they can be allies in development.
“Through policy and regulation, we will ensure that every ounce of gold or gram of lithium mined in Ghana leaves a positive footprint.”
President John Dramani Mahama
Perhaps the most defining message of the President’s speech was his commitment to shifting Ghana away from the raw export of minerals toward industrial transformation. He laid out a clear roadmap for downstream development.
“My administration is committed to moving beyond extraction to transformation.
“This means investing in downstream industries: refining our gold, developing our jewellery industry, processing our bauxite into alumina and aluminium, converting lithium into battery components, and using iron ore to feed a steel industry.”
President John Dramani Mahama
This bold direction aligns with global calls for African nations to retain more value from their natural resources. By industrializing its mining sector, Ghana aims not only to boost revenue but to create jobs, foster innovation, and drive long-term economic resilience.
President Mahama’s address was not only a policy statement—it was a vision for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable growth. The President emphasized that mining must serve not only investors but also communities, workers, and future generations.
READ ALSO: Recruitment Fraud Prompts Ghana Immigration Warning
