The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has charged the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) with playing a role in the ongoing issue of illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, within the nation.
The opposition party claims that GoldBod’s gold purchasing framework has established gaps that permit gold obtained through illegal mining practices to infiltrate the legitimate gold trading system.
During a press conference on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, NPP National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye asserted that GoldBod fails to effectively differentiate between gold acquired from authorized mining operations and that produced through illegal means.
“GoldBod, I can tell you now, is the cause of the environmental destruction we are seeing. They are now responsible for galamsey,” he stated.
He further questioned the methods employed by GoldBod to verify the origins of gold procured through its licensed buyers, contending that the lack of robust traceability systems could enable illegally mined gold to penetrate the formal trading network.
Mr. Boakye noted that concerns regarding the origins of gold acquired by GoldBod have also been voiced by stakeholders in the mining industry, including the Ghana Chamber of Mines and several Members of Parliament.
“If GoldBod is not buying galamsey gold, then who is?” he questioned, demanding that the authorities clarify how gold purchased by the state-owned entity is sourced and verified.
The NPP National Organiser also condemned what he characterized as repeated promises that systems were being established to tackle the issue, arguing that the measures have yet to yield satisfactory responses to concerns regarding gold traceability.
He urged for enhanced transparency in GoldBod’s gold purchasing practices, especially concerning the methods utilized to confirm the origins of gold entering the legitimate trading chain.
