GoldBod dismisses claims Sammy Gyamfi endorsed illegal mining, clarifies formalisation policy

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has denied allegations that its CEO, Sammy Gyamfi, endorsed illegal mining. The Board argued that a viral video circulating on social media, purportedly showing a conversation between Gyamfi and artisanal miners in March 2026, had been edited to remove context from the CEO's statements. According to GoldBod, Gyamfi was clarifying the government's policy to identify and document informal mining operators, with the aim of transitioning eligible miners into a lawful, regulated and environmentally responsible mining system.

The Board stressed that the policy is not meant to legitimize illegal mining but to eliminate unlawful operations by bringing eligible miners under a formal regulatory framework. This involves licensing, regulation, monitoring, and holding operators accountable for their environmental and operational conduct. The Board clarified that legalizing illegal mining is not the same as creating opportunities for eligible informal miners to regularize their activities within the law.

In October 2026, Gyamfi reiterated the importance of stringent, practical, and inclusive mining regulations during the Mining in Motion Summit. The Board's planned Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP) aims to provide formalisation and financing support to eligible small-scale miners, increase gold production, mineral revenues, and employment opportunities.