GHANA · GOLD
Key Facts
- —The country Ghana is a West African democracy and a major gold producer, led by President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.
- —What happened On Saturday 24 October 2026, the Ghana Minority caucus demanded that Sammy Gyamfi resign as chief executive of the Ghana Gold Board.
- —Who is GoldBod The Ghana Gold Board, known as GoldBod, is the state agency that is the sole buyer, assayer and exporter of gold from small-scale miners.
- —The Minority’s charge The caucus says his remarks suggest small-scale miners can work without the licences and permits that Ghana’s mining law requires, MyJoyOnline reported.
- —GoldBod’s reply GoldBod said the same day that a viral video was selectively edited and that government policy is not to legitimise illegal mining.
- —The stakes Gyamfi said on 20 October that GoldBod exported 85.4 tonnes of small-scale gold worth US$11.6 billion from 1 January, Citi Newsroom reported.
- —Still open Whether President Mahama will act on the demand, and whether Parliament will take any formal step against Gyamfi.
The Ghana Minority, the opposition caucus in Parliament, wants GoldBod chief executive Sammy Gyamfi to resign. It issued the call on Saturday 24 October 2026 over remarks about licences for small-scale gold miners, MyJoyOnline reported.
For US readers, the row matters because GoldBod is the state buyer and exporter of gold from small-scale miners in a major African producer. Any change at the top of the agency could affect how that gold is bought, traced and exported.
What the Ghana Minority Is Demanding
The Ghana Minority is the opposition bloc in Parliament, and its statement was issued in the name of the New Patriotic Party. MyJoyOnline says it came from Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Minority’s ranking member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee.
The caucus wants Gyamfi to resign immediately as chief executive of GoldBod, or to be dismissed. It also asks for an unqualified apology, a government condemnation of his remarks and sanctions against him.
The Remarks and the Law the Minority Cites
A video on social media showed Gyamfi saying small-scale miners could work outside water bodies, forest reserves and roadsides, even unlicensed, Citi Newsroom reported. The Minority asked whether the same would be allowed in schools, churches, mosques, markets, hospitals, Parliament and the law courts.
The statement says this position contradicts the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, known as Act 703. It cites Sections 9(1) and 82(1) on licensing and Section 89 on setting aside areas for small-scale mining.
How GoldBod Answered
GoldBod issued a press release on Saturday 24 October that rejects the claim that its chief endorsed illegal mining. It said the video came from a March 2026 meeting with small-scale miners and had been edited to strip out context, MyJoyOnline reported.
Gyamfi said on Friday 23 October that mining in water bodies, forest reserves and public places such as roadsides cannot be tolerated or reformed. GoldBod’s communications head, Prince Kwame Minkah, told Channel One TV that formalisation is not a blanket amnesty, Citi Newsroom reported.
The Formalisation Plan Behind the Row
GoldBod says Gyamfi was describing a policy to document informal miners and move eligible ones into a lawful, regulated system. The agency named a planned programme, the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme.
Partners include the Lands Ministry, the University of Mines and Technology and the Minerals Income Investment Fund, with Rand Refinery SA giving technical support. The stated aims are more gold output, more mineral revenue and more jobs.
What Galamsey Means in Ghana
Galamsey is the Ghanaian word for illegal small-scale gold mining, which has polluted rivers and damaged farmland and forest. The Ghana Minority asks President Mahama for a clear roadmap to end it, as promised before the 2024 elections.
It calls for a state of emergency in what it describes as red-flag galamsey hot spots. It also wants the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat, the anti-galamsey task force, backed by a Legislative Instrument.
Why GoldBod Matters for Gold Flows
Gyamfi told a mining conference on Tuesday 20 October that GoldBod had aggregated and exported 85.4 tonnes of small-scale gold this year, worth US$11.6 billion. He said large-scale mines exported 76 tonnes worth US$11.1 billion in that period, Citi Newsroom reported.
In August, Gyamfi blamed Ghana’s galamsey problem partly on weak formalisation of small-scale mining since 1989, MyJoyOnline reported. He also questioned whether an earlier domestic gold purchase programme could trace where its gold came from.
What It Means for US Readers
US buyers, refiners and investors in Ghana’s gold sector depend on GoldBod’s rules on traceability and licensed sourcing. A leadership fight could slow policy decisions, or sharpen foreign buyers’ questions about where their gold comes from.
The Ghana Minority has also asked for an audit of GoldBod’s records on tracing gold from mine to market. The result of such an audit, if it happens, would matter to any company that buys Ghanaian gold.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether President Mahama will act on the demand. The presidency had issued no public response in the reports reviewed by the evening of Saturday 24 October.
The video is disputed, with the Minority citing the remarks and GoldBod saying they were edited. The Minority has not said whether it will take the matter to a parliamentary committee or how it would force an audit.
More: Ghana news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sammy Gyamfi?
Sammy Gyamfi is the chief executive of the Ghana Gold Board, the state agency that buys and exports gold from small-scale miners. He leads the agency under President Mahama’s government.
What does the Ghana Minority want?
The Ghana Minority wants Gyamfi to resign or be dismissed, to apologise without conditions and to face sanctions. It also asks for an audit of GoldBod’s gold-tracing records.
What does GoldBod say about the video?
GoldBod says the viral video was selectively edited from a March 2026 meeting with small-scale miners. It says government policy is not to legitimise illegal mining.
What is galamsey?
Galamsey is the Ghanaian term for illegal small-scale gold mining. It is blamed for polluted rivers and damage to farmland and forest.
Can the opposition force Gyamfi out?
Not by itself, because it is the opposition in Parliament. Its demand is a political call for action rather than a legal order.
Sources: MyJoyOnline, 24 October 2026; MyJoyOnline, 24 October 2026; Citi Newsroom, 24 October 2026; Graphic Online, 23 October 2026; Citi Newsroom, 20 October 2026; MyJoyOnline, 10 August 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief