The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has rejected allegations that it acquires gold from illegal miners, commonly known as galamseyers.
In a Frequently Asked Questions document released on Monday, January 5, 2026, the board clarified that it does not purchase gold directly from miners.
“As a public corporation, the GoldBod does not buy gold directly from miners. Instead, it procures gold from its licensed aggregators,” the statement indicated.
GoldBod emphasized that its mandate under Section 3(1)(f) of Act 1140 is to foster the formalization of small-scale mining through responsible sourcing, sustainable supply chains, gold traceability, and adherence to international best practices.
Furthermore, Section 3(1)(g) instructs the board to promote environmentally sustainable and responsible mining practices.
The board stressed that all gold-buying licenses issued by GoldBod explicitly prohibit licensed buyers from obtaining gold from illegal miners. The terms and conditions of these licenses are publicly accessible on GoldBod’s website.
To ensure adherence to these regulations, GoldBod, which has been operational for just eight months, is in the process of developing a blockchain-based track-and-trace system to confirm the responsible origin of every gram of gold acquired from its licensed buyers.
The board also referenced government initiatives aimed at combating illegal mining through the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
To date, NAIMOS has removed illegal miners from nine forest reserves, annulled the contentious L.I. 2462 that permitted mining in forest reserves, limited excavator imports, and carried out arrests and prosecutions of illegal miners.
“The reality is that gold has been mined and purchased in Ghana for decades without traceability. This marks the first instance of a government institution, the GoldBod, being established to pursue value-chain traceability with defined timelines,” the board stated.
GoldBod dismissed criticisms from political adversaries, asserting that the attacks on its operations are aimed at undermining the board’s accomplishments in formalizing the gold sector.
The board concluded by reiterating its dedication to combating illegal mining and confirmed that the blockchain track-and-trace system is set to be implemented in 2026, subsequent to a competitive tender process.
