President John Dramani Mahama has declared that individuals who provide reliable information leading to the recovery of illegal gold or its monetary equivalent will receive a reward of 10% of the confiscated assets.
This announcement was made on Tuesday, July 8, during the formal inauguration of the GoldBod Taskforce at the National Security Secretariat in Accra.
“Whistleblower channels are established, and informants are entitled to receive 10% of the confiscated gold or its cash equivalent. Therefore, whistleblowers, prepare yourselves. If you report and gold or money is recovered, you will receive 10%,” he stated.
President Mahama indicated that the formation of the task force demonstrates his administration’s dedication to combating gold smuggling and corruption within the extractive industry, emphasizing that the task force embodies a bold and decisive strategy for safeguarding Ghana’s natural resources.
The GoldBod Taskforce, as per the president, consists of personnel sourced from the National Security, the military, and other essential security agencies. He noted that taskforce members have undergone extensive training, vetting, polygraph examinations, and orientation regarding the Minerals and Mining Act, 2016 (Act 703, as amended by Act 1040).
He further mentioned that the officers have also engaged in team-building activities and received anti-corruption training to ensure professionalism and ethical behavior.
President Mahama underscored that all task force members will function under stringent oversight to avert misconduct. He announced that officers will be equipped with body cameras during every operation and that all vehicles utilized will be GPS-tracked and monitored in real time.
He additionally emphasized that no field operation may be conducted without appropriate authorization.
“A written warrant from the CEO is necessary before any field operation is initiated,” he warned.
