GoldBod MD Sammy Gyamfi
The Coalition Against Galamsey Ghana (CAGG) has called on the Office of the Attorney-General to investigate statements attributed to Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi for possible abetment of illegal mining.
In a statement issued on Saturday( October 24), the coalition said the reported remarks encouraged artisanal miners to operate without a licence provided they avoided forest reserves and river bodies.
CAGG argued that such a position, if accurately reported, could conflict with Ghana’s mining laws, which require operators to obtain the necessary licences before undertaking mining activities.
The coalition cited Section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995 of 2019, and urged the Attorney-General’s Office to investigate whether the reported statement could constitute an offence under the law.
It also called on President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission to publicly reaffirm that mining without the required licence is unlawful, regardless of location.
The coalition further demanded that Mr Gyamfi retract the statement and issue an unqualified apology to the Ghanaian public.
Beyond the proposed investigation, CAGG urged the security agencies to strengthen protection for farmers and landowners against possible encroachment and establish rapid-response channels for reporting invasions.
It also called for a national plan to protect farmlands through legal safeguards, mapping and registration of agricultural land, support for farmers to document their land rights, and compensation and restoration for those whose farms have been damaged by mining.
“GoldBod was established to formalize and regulate artisanal mining, not to encourage its illegalization,” the coalition said.
