The Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has inaugurated the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Tribunal.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem, GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, Board Chairman Kojo Fynn, and Board Member Dr. Abdul Basit Bamba.
Administering the oath of office, Dr. Forson said the establishment of the tribunal was in line with Section 55 of the Ghana Gold Board Act, which sets out its composition, qualifications, and mandate.
“The President has appointed the three of you to serve as members of the tribunal in accordance with the law. He considers you competent for this important responsibility, and I congratulate you on your appointment,” he said.
He further assured them that government would soon appoint a registrar and support staff to facilitate the tribunal’s work, as required by law.
The tribunal’s mandate includes considering appeals regarding decisions made by the Gold Board, matters relating to licensing under the Act, and rulings of the Dispute Resolution Committee.
Chairman of the Tribunal, Lawyer Biadela Mortey Akpadzi, expressed gratitude to the President for the trust reposed in them, pledging that the tribunal would carry out its duties diligently and in the best interest of the nation.
Members of the Ghana Gold Board Tribunal
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Biadela Mortey Akpadzi – Chairman
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Hamidu Mariam – Member
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Justin Pwavra Teriwajah – Member
Background and mandate
The Gold Board Tribunal is an ad-hoc, non-permanent body convened as needed to review appeals related to GoldBod decisions, including licensing determinations and matters brought before the Dispute Resolution Committee. Its composition reflects essential expertise in law and gold industry practice: a chairperson with legal or substantial gold industry experience, and two members with relevant expertise in minerals and mining law or commerce.
Key features of the tribunal include:
– Purpose: Serve as the appeals body for GoldBod decisions and licensing-related issues.
– Composition: An appointed chairperson and two members, activated on an as-needed basis.
– Function: Provide a fair, transparent review process for affected parties.
– Authority: Tribunal decisions are legally binding and equivalent to High Court judgments, with appellate avenues to the Court of Appeal.
– Establishment: Created by the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025, which also defines structure and powers.
Source: Finance Ministry
