The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has opened fresh dialogue with leadership of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners and the Concerned Small-Scale Miners Association of Ghana, bringing key stakeholders to the table to confront pressing challenges threatening the country’s gold production value chain.
At the centre of discussions was a concern that has weighed heavily on GoldBod’s operations — purity losses within the gold value chain and the financial toll they are taking on the Board. Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, Esq. did not mince words in framing the gravity of the issue, describing it as one of the most significant challenges confronting Ghana’s gold trade today.
Gyamfi called for deeper, more structured collaboration between GoldBod and small-scale miners to stem these losses — a partnership he stressed was essential not just for the Board’s financial health, but for the long-term integrity of the sector as a whole.
The CEO used the platform to reaffirm GoldBod’s statutory commitment to the small-scale mining community, reminding stakeholders that up to 30% of the Board’s surplus is earmarked to support small-scale miners.
To ensure that assistance is delivered in a targeted and accountable manner, Gyamfi invited both associations to submit comprehensive working plans that will guide the structured rollout of mining support initiatives.
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The support on offer goes well beyond financial allocations. Equipment provision and technical assistance are also on the table — tangible resources designed to help small-scale operators improve output quality, reduce losses, and build more sustainable operations.
Patrol Boats and the Fight Against Illegal Mining
Perhaps the most striking disclosure from the meeting was GoldBod’s plan to procure patrol boats as part of a broader strategy to drive illegal miners — galamseyers — off water bodies. Gyamfi confirmed that advanced preparations are already underway, signalling that GoldBod intends to take an active, frontline role in protecting Ghana’s waterways from the destruction wrought by unlicensed operators.
The move reflects a broader institutional resolve at GoldBod: to formalise and fortify the small-scale mining sector through greater transparency, maximised gold output, and the promotion of responsible, environmentally conscious mining practices across the country.