The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has rejected claims that its Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, endorsed illegal mining, describing a viral video circulating on social media as selectively edited to distort the context of his remarks.
In a statement issued by its Media Relations Unit, GoldBod said the video was extracted from an engagement with artisanal and small-scale miners in March 2026 and omitted crucial explanations of the government’s policy on formalising mining operations.
According to the Board, Gyamfi was explaining the government’s objective of identifying and documenting mining operators and transitioning eligible informal miners into a lawful, regulated and environmentally responsible system.
It stressed that the policy was not intended to legitimise illegal mining but to eliminate illegality by bringing eligible operators into a formal framework where they could be licensed, monitored and held accountable for their environmental and operational practices.
GoldBod said there was a fundamental distinction between permitting illegal mining and creating a legal pathway for eligible informal or unlicensed operators to regularise their activities in accordance with the law.
The Board maintained that Gyamfi’s remarks were consistent with its longstanding position that effective mining regulation must combine enforcement with formalisation, capacity-building and opportunities for operators willing to comply with the law.
As part of efforts to implement this policy, GoldBod has commenced stakeholder consultations on its proposed Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP), which is expected to be rolled out in 2027.
The programme is being pursued in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and the Mineral Income Investment Fund (MIIF), with technical support from Rand Refinery of South Africa.
The initiative seeks to improve access to financing, increase gold production and mineral revenues, create jobs, reduce operational costs and address environmental degradation associated with mining activities.
GoldBod said its ongoing engagements involve relevant government agencies, small-scale miners’ associations, civil society organisations and other industry stakeholders.
The consultations are intended to ensure that the proposed programme reflects the needs of the mining industry, incorporates diverse stakeholder perspectives and establishes an inclusive and sustainable framework for implementation.
The Board believes that formalisation, access to finance and the adoption of modern mining practices can provide a viable alternative to illegal operations while strengthening accountability across the sector.
GoldBod is also collaborating with the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) to conduct geological studies in mineralised areas as part of efforts to support responsible mining and improve knowledge of the country’s mineral resources.
The Board said investigations were ongoing at Funsi in the Upper West Region and Bensere in the Ashanti Region.
The studies are intended to support the responsible expansion of Ghana’s mining base and address destructive mining practices associated with inadequate geological information and poorly managed operations.
According to GoldBod, improving geological certainty, strengthening regulation and facilitating access to financing are critical to creating a mining industry in which operators can comply with the law while minimising environmental harm.
The Board further insisted that its position against irresponsible and environmentally destructive mining remained unequivocal, particularly where mining activities threaten water bodies and forest reserves.
It said its commitment to environmental protection was demonstrated through support for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), alongside investments in responsible sourcing, traceability, land reclamation and water remediation.
Among the interventions highlighted was funding for the reclamation of 50 hectares of degraded land in the Ahafo-Ano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
GoldBod also cited support for the rehabilitation of water treatment plants affected by irresponsible mining and the procurement of a track-and-trace system to strengthen accountability and promote responsible gold sourcing.
The Board argued that these interventions contradicted suggestions that it supported illegal mining, insisting that its approach was focused on ending illegality while providing lawful alternatives for eligible operators.
GoldBod reiterated that illegal and irresponsible mining must be brought to an end, adding that operators who qualify for lawful formalisation should be transitioned into a regulated system where their activities can be monitored and sanctions applied when necessary.
It said leaving informal operators outside the reach of the state would undermine efforts to improve compliance, environmental protection and accountability in the mining sector.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to responsible mining, environmental sustainability and the formalisation of the artisanal and small-scale mining industry.
It added that these objectives were consistent with Section 3(1)(f) of the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), which mandates GoldBod to promote the formalisation of the small-scale mining industry, including through supply-chain sustainability.
GoldBod maintained that its ultimate objective was to transform Ghana’s mineral wealth into national prosperity through effective regulation, responsible production and sustainable mining practices.
