{
  "id": 3651688,
  "title": "GoldBod must bear the cost – Small-scale miners back higher operational costs to protect jobs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/goldbod-must-bear-the-cost-small-scale-miners-back-higher-operational",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-26T23:34:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/goldbod-must-bear-the-cost-small-scale-miners-back-higher-operational-costs-to-protect-jobs/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Association of Small-Scale Miners supports GoldBod’s intention to shoulder higher operational costs for refining gold locally in Ghana. The decision aims to retain more value from the country's gold resources and create employment opportunities for the youth. Abdul Razak Alhassan, the Association's Communication Director, argued that the cost of refining should be balanced against the broader benefits of local processing. He acknowledged that gold production poses significant challenges and expenses before even extracting the ore. Therefore, GoldBod should be prepared to absorb additional costs if the local refining policy is to achieve its intended goals. Alhassan emphasized that the move could help reduce youth unemployment by providing job opportunities through the refinery. The Association's stance comes following GoldBod's directive for Self-Financing Aggregators to refine gold doré locally before export, effective from September 1, 2026. Under the directive, refining is to be conducted at a refinery approved by GoldBod, and the cost of refining will be borne by the aggregator or its approved off-taker. Alhassan believes that while the higher operating costs are a concern, the potential economic and employment benefits justify the decision. He urged the debate to consider both the financial burden and the employment potential of the new refinery.",
  "summary": "The Association of Small-Scale Miners has backed GoldBod’s decision to bear the higher operational costs of refining gold locally, arguing that the policy could deliver broader benefits to Ghana’s economy and employment. Communication Director of the Association, Abdul Razak Alhassan, said the cost of refining must be weighed against the broader benefits of keeping more […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Joy Business",
        "title": "GoldBod must bear the cost – Small-scale miners back higher operational costs to protect jobs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/goldbod-must-bear-the-cost-small-scale-miners-back-higher-operational-3654554",
        "published": "2026-08-26T23:34:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}