GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi Clarifies Rules on Permitted Mining Locations

Sammy Gyamfi, Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, has clarified remarks concerning where mining activities are permitted in Ghana, explaining that the government’s position is to allow individuals to mine in eligible locations and have their operations registered and regularised.

According to Gyamfi, mining is permissible in areas that are not water bodies, forest reserves, or similar protected environments. He noted that locations such as roadsides fall outside these restricted categories.

He explained that whether or not a person holds a licence, the government’s stance is to permit such individuals to mine in these allowed areas, register them, and bring their activities into the formal system through regularisation.

His clarification appears aimed at addressing confusion over his earlier comments on the subject, providing greater detail on which locations are open to mining and which remain off-limits.

Gyamfi emphasised that protected areas, including water bodies and forest reserves, continue to be excluded from mining activity. However, in places that do not fall under these protections, individuals are to be allowed to operate and be formally registered.

The GoldBod CEO’s remarks highlight the government’s approach of combining enforcement of environmental protections with efforts to formalise small-scale mining operations. By registering and regularising miners operating in permitted areas, authorities hope to bring more of the sector under regulation.

His clarification comes amid ongoing public debate over small-scale mining in Ghana and its environmental impact. The distinction between protected zones and other locations is central to how the government intends to manage the activity.

Gyamfi’s explanation seeks to make clear that the policy is not a blanket permission for mining everywhere, but rather an approach that respects environmental restrictions while allowing operations to be formalised in areas deemed suitable.

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