Why GoldBod Is Pushing to Formalise Illegal Miners – Akwasi Konadu Raises Alarm

The Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Akwasi Konadu, has criticised the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) over its approach to formalising unlicensed small-scale mining, alleging that the institution is more concerned about securing gold supplies than enforcing mining regulations.

His concerns follow comments by GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi on efforts to formalise the activities of unlicensed miners operating outside forest reserves, water bodies and other environmentally sensitive areas.

Mr Konadu believes the initiative is largely motivated by fears of declining gold production rather than a firm commitment to promoting responsible and environmentally sustainable mining practices.

Speaking on Citi News Digest on Saturday, October 24, he indicated that GoldBod was facing difficulties obtaining the quantities of gold required for its purchasing and trading operations, with further declines in production expected in the coming months.

“Currently, the GoldBod is not having it easy with the amount of production of gold that they would want to get to purchase and sell. And they’re seeing the reduction coming in the near future,” he said.

He suggested that the board’s concerns about maintaining adequate gold supplies could be influencing its position on unlicensed miners, potentially encouraging their participation in mining activities without sufficient emphasis on meeting established legal and regulatory requirements.

Mr Konadu further warned that assurances that miners would not face action for operating outside restricted areas could be misconstrued as approval for unregulated mining.

He expressed concern that such assurances might encourage operators to continue their activities without first fulfilling the conditions required to operate legally.

He stressed that the environmental consequences of illegal mining must remain a major consideration in any strategy designed to boost gold production.

According to him, efforts to formalise the small-scale mining sector should not undermine regulatory enforcement or compromise environmental protection in pursuit of increased gold supplies.

Source: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/10/goldbod-seeking-to-formalise-illegal-mining-to-protect-gold-supply-akwasi-konadu/

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