By Emmanuel Nii Sackey
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has engaged leadership of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners and the Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana to deliberate on critical issues affecting the gold production value chain.
During the meeting, Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi Esq. highlighted concerns regarding purity losses within the gold value chain and the consequential impact on the Board’s finances.
He called for stronger collaboration between GoldBod and small-scale miners to address these losses, describing it as one of the major challenges confronting the gold trade.
The CEO reaffirmed GoldBod’s commitment to supporting the small-scale mining sector in line with its mandate, which allocates up to 30% of the Board’s surplus to assist small-scale miners.
He invited the associations to submit a comprehensive working plan to guide the structured implementation of mining support initiatives.
Beyond funding, equipment and technical assistance, the CEO disclosed that advanced plans are underway to support small-scale miners in combating illegal mining.
As part of these efforts, GoldBod is in the process of procuring patrol boats to help remove illegal operators from water bodies.
GoldBod remains committed to formalizing and strengthening the small-scale mining sector, with a focus on enhancing transparency, maximizing gold output and promoting responsible mining practices across the country.