The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of indirectly promoting illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, through the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).
Speaking at the Minority Caucus’ “Holding Government to Account” press conference, Minority Leader and Effutu MP Alexander Afenyo-Markin criticised the government for failing to clearly outline its policy direction or concrete measures to tackle illicit mining.
He questioned the role of GoldBod, arguing that the agency has not shown how it distinguishes between legally mined gold and gold sourced from illegal operations.
“The establishment of GoldBod as both a regulator and operator is, in a way, directly encouraging galamsey activities,” Afenyo-Markin said.
He further accused the government of prioritising public relations over meaningful action, citing the worsening state of Ghana’s water bodies as evidence of its inaction.
“Our water bodies are being polluted. Organised Labour has raised the alarm that galamsey activities have intensified. Yet, the government has failed to provide proof of real progress in combating this menace,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin also weighed in on the controversial Gold-for-Reserves policy, noting that while the Minority supports the initiative in principle, its execution through GoldBod raises more questions than answers.
“Today, we do not know whether GoldBod makes a distinction between legally mined gold and illicit gold. All we hear are success stories about the tons of gold they have purchased,” he concluded.
