Mahama pushes local gold refining to retain more economic benefits

President John Dramani Mahama has announced Ghana's intensified efforts to boost local gold assaying, refining, and associated services, aiming to secure a larger share of the economic gains from the nation's mineral resources. This initiative, spearheaded by the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and the country's gold refining policy, seeks to bolster domestic involvement in the gold industry and diminish reliance on raw mineral exports.

At a recent Mining in Motion Conference held on October 19, Mahama underscored the necessity for Ghana to shift focus from mere gold extraction to fostering local processing and value-added activities. "Through the Ghana Gold Board and our gold refining policy, we are striving to retain more value through assaying, refining, and related services," he elaborated.

The policy is anticipated to bolster Ghana's capability to test and refine gold within its borders, thereby generating opportunities for enterprises and professionals in the mining and mineral processing sectors. This strategy is part of government's broader strategy to ensure a larger portion of the wealth generated from Ghana's gold resources remains within the national economy, bolstering local enterprise and fortifying the country's mineral value chain.