Ghana’s Tragedy is allowing foreigners in Small Scale Mining. GoldBod to take note

For My Mouth will speak the Truth, wickedness, is an abomination to my Lips’ a quote from the Holy Bible at Proverbs 8:7. Thus God by the Holy Bible demands nothing by the truth from all human beings, His creation. So as a New Citizen of Ghana as demanded by President Nkrumah, the truth will be presented in this submission. So, Ghanaians especially the Intelligentsia Community are hereby alerted to wake up from their slumbers and ensure that they are well informed on national issues especially the Political and Economic History especially Mining History so as to afford constructive criticisms of the Presidency of our beloved President Mahama.

Constructive criticisms are necessary in order to ensure the second coming of His Excellency President Mahama is not captured by some greedy, Ill-informed, Inept, Corrupt persons to aggravate Ghana’s Tragedy in the Small Scale Mining Sector with the noble GoldBod concept.

Our Intelligentsias Community need to be on alert since as far as the mining sector is concerned, the First Regime of President Mahama caused the biggest disaster by the facilitation of the massive destruction in the environment and economy especially destruction of cocoa farms for small scale mining in the history of Ghana by the permissibility of foreigners to operate in the small scale mining sector as contract mining service providers and buying and exporting of gold from the small scale mining sector.

The destruction of Ghana by the greedy and corrupt Officials and their accomplices during the first regime of President Mahama was occasioned by two laws on service provisions which allowed foreigners in the Small Scale Mining Sector against the letter and spirit of Section 83 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703). Initially, with Minerals and Mining Support Services Regulation 2012 (LI 2174). Google for this law and read subsection (3) on contract mining under Regulation 2 Support Services. Mining is capital intensive, this window of support services thus made very greedy Ghanaians to enter business partnership with foreigners to create looting schemes and the resulted headache illegal mining with the associated massive destruction of the environment and the destruction of rivers and the cocoa industry.

Man is very greedy, so laws should be made to prevent greedy acts. The restriction of greed in the mining sector could be read from the Small Scale Gold Mining Law 1989 (PNDC law 218), by the PNDC. Google for this PNDC law and read section 21. Also Google for the Precious Minerals Marketing Company law 1989 (PNDC Law 219) enacted by the PNDC to contain the greed by man.

If we understand what is Small Scale Mining, then we should ensure No one should leave his community to another community to own small scale mining right, he can only participate in it. You must be a bonafide resident duly recognized by local leaders.

This was the situation in the Talensi District in the Upper East Region in 1996, when officials of the Minerals Commission discovered two Galamasey sites in the Talensi area named as Kejetia Galamasey and Obuasi Galamasey Sites then operated by people from the Ashanti Region. So the NDC administration of President Rawlings regularized or legalized the two Galamasey sites into Small Scale Mining Sites after consultation with the Chief, the Tidana and the people of the area, who initially refused but later on accepted the Galamasey Operations.

Based on the Community or people of Talensi acceptance that it was in the interest of the Community for Small Scale Mining operation to take place before mining rights or two small scale mining licenses were issued to each site of the Sites to a nominated local person by the Chief and the Tidana or indigenes and not the founders from Ashanti Region. So the Galamasey operators from Ashanti Region were then allowed to carry their mining activities under the leadership of the Reps of the Chief. Their activities in 2008 or so gave birth to Shanxi Gold Mining from China which in 2023 metamorphosed into Earl International Mining under the Earl International Group of China and this attracted other Mining Companies to the Talensi District or the Talensi and her enclave.

Unfortunately, after the NDC regime of President Rawlings, the narration in the small scale mining sector changed with open looting schemes in the small scale mining sector with the associated massive destruction of the environment and economy of Ghana. The massive destruction of the environment was/is occasioned by LI2174 as stated above on Support Services and an aspect of Minerals and Mining Amendment Act 2015(Act 900) that allowed foreigners to operate in the Small Scale Mining Sector as exporters of gold from the small scale mining sector against the letter and spirit of section 83 of Minerals and Mining Act 703 and the interpretation of citizen of Ghana at section 111 of Act 703.

Officials in the First Regime of President Mahama in the formalization of the aspect of Minerals and Mining Regulations Support Services 2012 (LI2174) and the aspect of Minerals and Mining Amendment Act 2015 (Act 900), which permitted foreigners in the Small Scale Mining Sector failed to find out the followings (a). Why Small Scale Mining was banned by the Colonial Masters in 1906?. (b). Why it remained banned for 106 years until the ban was lifted in 1986:? (c). Why the PNDC lifted the ban on Small Scale Mining in 1986 with the passage of the Small Scale Mining Law in 1986 as in Section 77 of the Minerals and Mining law 1986 (PNDC Law 153) and the subsequent or final Small Scale Mining Law 1989 (PNDCLaw218).

Furthermore, it seemed there was a failure to find out why the PNDC established the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) with the PMMC Law 1989 (PNDC Law 219) with the exclusively right to buy and export Gold in the Small Scale Mining Sector which has somehow metamorphosed into the GoldBod.

The Officials in the first regime of President Mahama also failed to find out Why the PNDC put four strong caveats on Small Scale Gold Mining namely (1) Small Scale Mining to be allowed if only if it is in the interest of the affected community (2). Restricted to only a citizen of Ghana with interpretation which is copied at Section 111 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703). (3).They failed to check why the PNDC made the method of small scale mining must be by (a). No use of sophisticated technology hence only simple tools must be used, (b). Lastly they failed to find out why the PNDC decreed that No use of substantial expenditure. Google for the Small Scale Mining Law 1989 (PNDC Law 218) and read section 21 on interpretations.

So, the concept of the GoldBod is a very good one, provided it is made to be under the Minerals Commission, the Constitutional creature as a Regulator/ monitor of the Mining Sector and responsible for the minerals resources of Ghana.

We must be guided with the state of affairs between 2012 and 2016 which resulted in numerous alarming reports by the Media including one by a Chinese Journalist from the stable of Bloomberg and very seasoned Mining Experts including Professor Crawford and Professor Amankwa, Dr Botchway etc. So by 2017, this made the first regime of a clueless President Nana Addo to become the victim of bad laws which were passed in the first regime of President Mahama.

So between 2012 and 2017, a lot of reports by the Media and Mining Scholars or Experts or Researchers including Professor G Crawford speaks volume of the looting by Foreigners especially Indians and Chinese and their Ghanaian collaborators due to bad laws and non-enforcement/noncompliance of laws of Ghana. Google for the Impact of Chinese involvement in illegal Small Scale Mining 2015 report by Crawford or Google for the Impact of Chinese involvement in Small Scale Mining 2016 report by Crawford or Google for Foreigners in Small Scale Mining in Ghana by Crawford .

The most shocking story, is an article in the internet with the title ‘Review the Small Scale Mining Laws allegedly made by the very seasoned and uncorrupt Dr Tony Aubynn, in 2016. Ironically, he was the then CEO of the Minerals Commission, so it meant he was helpless and this made him to join the lamentation wagon of the man on demo on the street.

Also Google for ‘We do not burn Wontumi’s Excavators’ as allegedly said by Hon Innusah Fuseini, then the Sector Minister and Google for President Mahama orders Burning of Mining Sites in 2013. A reader with critical mindset should be able to make sound conclusions/lessons.

This Author, sounded the alarm bells since 2013 when he was a member of the National Security Taskforce under Command of then Brigadier General Dan Mishio, later on under the late Col Bob Nyakah and later on under then Brigadier General Sampson Adeti. The National Security Taskforce was under the then National Security Coordinator on behalf of the Inter Ministerial Taskforce which was set up by President Mahama to deal with illegal miners. Implying President Mahama victim of the bad boys and girls during his first regime.

The state of affairs made this author together with one of his brothers by name Mr Bawa Gariba to organize a National encounter with the Media in 2017 in Kumasi. Google for Ban movement of Diesel to Galamasey Sites by Major Bogobiri (rtd). It involved almost all the major media houses in Ghana, so a huge expense incurred by him for a Better Ghana Agenda. The author continued with the fight and contributed to the repeal of this bad law in 2019 with an aspect of the Minerals and Mining Amendment Act 2019 (Act 995). Google for this law Act 995 of 2019 and read Section 2 on provision of mining support services.

The author of this paper was the first person in Ghana to recommend for a Medium Scale Mining Sector for Ghanaians and their foreign partners to operate freely, since mining is capital intensive. He indicated that by this vehicle all licensed Small Scale Miners for wealth creation or Ghanaian mining business enterprises should be made to operate under the proposed Medium Scale Mining Sector with strict compliance to local and International laws/Standards. The GoldBod and GRA, the Custom Division must cooperate effectively to ensure effective accounting of gold and no hoarding of gold by employing honest agents or Reps to work with miners.

The author also recommended for a second look on the underlying issues and dynamics of Small Scale Mining as acknowledged globally in order to relegate Small Scale Mining as a poverty driven, hence poverty alleviation strategy for rural communities if and only if it is in the interest of the affected community to do so. So an actor must be a bonafide resident. He lastly, recommended for a Minerals Board under the Minerals Commission for the buying and exporting of Gold from the Small Scale Mining Sector through a vehicle of Minerals Marketing Company.

Let me reiterate that these two bad laws were/are against the letter and spirit of Mining Law at Section 83 of Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703) on qualification for Small Scale Mining with interpretation of citizen of Ghana at Section 111 of Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703).

For the benefit of fellow Ghanaians, Section 111 of Minerals and Mining 2006 (Act 703) gives the Interpretation on a Citizen of Ghana as required in Section 83 of Act 703, as follows (a) the individual must be citizen of Ghana. b). A Partnership or Association which is composed exclusively of individuals who are Citizens of Ghana (c) Corporate Body under Company Code 1963 (Act 179) and whose membership is composed exclusively, of persons, who are Citizens of Ghana and whose Directors are exclusively Citizens of Ghana (d) Which is controlled by individuals who are Citizens of Ghana. So why the authorities in the first regime of President Mahama got it wrong, is mouth baffling.

So, a person with a critical mindset would agree with me that these two laws facilitated looting schemes and thus fueled the illegal mining in Ghana since greedy persons quest for more gold or wealth would sponsor or execute illegal mining for more gold resulted in the massive destruction of the environment . This common sense or logic.

It is therefore hoped that the GoldBod’s proclamation of revoking of the licenses of Gold Exporting Companies by 30 April 2025 is not bogus. Because the Gold Export Licenses in the first place were not granted by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company, they were rather granted by the Minerals Commission, as the constitutional body, as the Regulator.

The GoldBod is just a mere Statutory body by an Act of Parliament, hence a subordinate or inferior authority, which is alien to the Minerals Commission or and shockingly not placed under the Minerals Commission, so it must not be allowed to usurp the regulatory powers so granted to a Minerals Commission by the 1992 Constitution at Article 269.

The Precious Minerals Company which metamorphosed into the Gold Board was a subsidiary unit of the Minerals Commission and was simply made a medium for the application for gold export license but not the issuance authority. Google and read ‘To Obtain gold export license in Ghana’

So, with the interpretation of citizen of Ghana at Section 111 of Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703) you will agree with me that President Mahama and Mr Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi Esq , the first CEO or MD of the GoldBod really need the support of a vigilant and well informed citizens of Ghana otherwise bad boys and girls once again with their foreign partners or accomplices in a state capture effort would surely find a way to enter into the buying and exporting of gold from the Small Scale Mining Sector. It is feared that should that happen, then out of their greed for more gold, they would continue to fuel the illegal mining activities.

To ensure the intelligentsia Community takes the narrations herein very serious and stand up to support the Presidency of President Mahama with constructive criticism and thus afford protection to him, let me emphasized that there was state capture or looting schemes by some greedy Officials and persons in the first regime of President Mahama and this continued during the clueless regime of President Nana Addo, a victim of the two bad laws.

As stated, the looting scheme was created by the passage of laws that allowed/allows foreigners with thousands of excavators and Chafang machines in Support Services to the Small Scale Mining Sector as in LI2174 of 2012 and exporting of gold by Act 900 of 2015 both laws against the letter and spirit of section 83 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703), with Citizen of Ghana explained at Section 111 of Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703).

The Mining Support Services Regulation 2012 (LI2174) as stated allowed foreigners in contract mining services and most of them ended up owing the mining rights and out of greed, they did/do not care for the environment. Also an aspect of the law Minerals and Mining Amendment Act 900 of 2015 which ousted the Precious Minerals Company from enjoying the exclusive right or monopoly for the export of gold from the Small Scale Mining Sector as granted by the PNDC.

The bad law gave to greedy foreigners and their Ghanaian Collaborators the rights in buying and exporting of gold from the Small Scale Mining Sector. So both LI2174 of 2012 and Act 900 of 2015 contributed to the decade of decay in both the environment and the economy of Ghana. So, the justifications for the GoldBod have authenticated that some Officials in the first regime of President Mahama really harmed this Country by allowing foreigners in the small scale mining sector for contract mining services and exporting of gold from the Small Scale Mining Sector.

This is incontrovertible fact is supported with numerous evidential material in the internet including Report of over 3 Billion US Dollars smuggled out of Ghana yearly effective 2015. Google for this info. So one may ask, na who caused am?. The Answer, the bucks stopped with our innocent President Mahama, so unfortunately, he is blamable for the rot in the system, hence, he is the best person to correct the rot. So his second coming is God send to correct the wrongs and this will require total support from all Nationals especially with good ideas

So, the GoldBod idea may be good one, provided it is align with my proposal for MineralsBod with Medium Scale Mining Sector for wealth creation by Ghanaian Mining Companies which must comply with local and International Standards in mining and must be under the Minerals Commission as required in Article 269 of the 1992 Constitution. Unfortunately, my some of my recommendations are yet to be executed. Since there is no creation of medium scale mining sector by Parliament for the licensed Small Scale Miners to navigate into for wealth creation, so the placement of the GoldBod under the Ministry of Finance to operate in the Small Scale Mining Sector beside violation of Article 269 of the 1992 Constitution is a potential national disaster.

It is a potential national disaster since, Small Scale Mining is regarded globally as a poverty driven phenomenon which if not well managed would be a potential existential threat like Prostuition with the spread of Aids. So, Common Sense will tell that Small Scale Mining is predominantly informal and necessary evil and not to be promoted but managed with a good policy for win-win solutions.

The state of affairs in Ghana, tells that the Ghanaian authorities regardless of their educational background do not really know what is really Small Scale Mining, a decorated donkey, which is Galamasey in local parlance, the history of Small Scale Mining. The Authorities are also very lazy to Google for Small Scale Mining to appreciate what it is and the potential dangers of Small Scale Mining for a holistic approach to contain the associated dangers.

Our Authorities must be educated that real or actual Small Scale Miners who are in it for survival would surely not waste time and money to acquire mining rights or licenses. The need to revise their note to appreciate that Small Scale Mining emanated from the days of Abraham, so the operators regard the gold as a gift from God for them to escape from their poverty miseries.

So the Authorities and the media need to understand that the demonization and criminalization of galamasey which actually means the use of simple tools to gather and sell for survival is not the answer. Man is not a wood, he must use his head to survive. So a policy of Live and Let us Live for a win-win solution. Otherwise It only demo very ignorant and clueless society, so our leaders need to revise their notes and think outside the box for the application of holistic strategies at the same time to contain small scale miners. The idea of blue river guards, use of the military are good measures to contain them but some of the river guards need to be armed.

Furthermore, if we really understand what is Small Scale Mining then a wiser measure is the President of Ghana to appeal to large scale mining companies or the Ghana Chamber of Mines to collaborate with small scale miners within their areas in a Live and Let Us Live or Scratch my back and I will also scratch your back policy. Otherwise a policy for the tasking of Large Scale Mining Companies to collaborate with actual Small Scale Miners who are just looking for money for Konkonte meal or koko and not like some rich tycoons for more wealth to travel abroad with slay queens. So, it is high time we understood the issues and stop the buffoonery acts and see rich tycoons as micro-large Scale miners and not licensed small scale miners. So let us create Medium Scale Mining Sector for them.

Actual Small Scale Miners only need government intervention including very good regulations to protect the environment, themselves and people around and some small support as part of win-win solutions. So, need for strict monitoring by the State to protect the environment, the operators and affected communities, whilst the State with the support of International Community collaborates with their local governance system or leadership to see how to navigate the Small Scale Mining Operators to Alternative Livelihood Projects by government intervention. According to President Nkrumah Organization decides everything. So the GoldBod must be under the Minerals Commission, we should not allow greed to cloud our thinking.

So, the Minerals Commission and the GoldBod should understand there is the urgent need for a Medium Scale Mining Sector for tycoons or the licensed Small Scale Miners who want to accumulate more wealth and relegate Small Scale Mining to Community Small Scale Mining. Once again, the GoldBod for the purchase and exporting of gold from the Small Scale Mining Sector must be under the Minerals Commission under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources with the Forestry Commissions and as a sister Company to support the Government with Alternative Livelihood Projects. This suggests that the GoldBod must not operate outside the Authority of the Minerals Commission.

So the GoldBod under the Ministry of Finance to operate in the Small Scale Mining Sector raises a Red Flag. It raises red flag, because both the GoldBod and Ministry of Finance with the objective to maximize US Dollar earning through Small Scale Mining are going to usurp the powers of the Minerals Commission, a Constitutional Body, primarily responsible for the Regulations and Management of the Country’s mineral resources. Thus required by the Constitution to ensure compliance with mining laws and regulations through monitoring the operations of all bodies or establishment in the mining sector. So all regulations in the Small Scale Mining Sector must come from the Minerals Commission.

As directed by God to tell the truth as stated in the Holy Bible at Proverb 8:7 and the need to afford my experiences and knowledge to my Nation, hence this submission, so that our current Leaders, in the resetting Ghana agenda could formulate better win-win solutions as initiated by the PNDC before the ban on Small Scale Mining was lifted in 1986.

So, let me say that the Colonial Masters and regimes before the PNDC were very wiser than regimes in the Fourth Republic. The ancient regimes did not tolerate Small Scale Mining, since they foresaw it as a potential existential threat due to its potential to destroy the environment, the related public health hazard, smuggling problem, money laundering use of explosives. Note in December 2009, a Nigerian lad visited Prestea for explosives and travelled to USA and wanted to use the explosives to bomb USA’s Plane in Dallas in USA on 24 December 2009.

The ancient regimes with very good thinking mindset or wisdom also took cognizance of the likely associated social vices including fear of divorces and prostitutions which would be associated in their operations since women are very very greedy, since most of them would be looking for Pimping Paradise, that is all that they want, with apology to Bob Marley. So the best was a ban and they banned it. Hence regimes before the regime of the PNDC saw that the dangers of Small Scale Mining outweighs the economic gains, so it was banned in 1906 and remained ban until 1986.

So we must be very careful with the GoldBod concept though a good one but Ghana need’s to tread cautiously. The Minerals Commission through Parliament should establish a Medium Scale Mining Sector for tycoons and their foreign partners for wealth creation since mining is capital intensive and relegate Small Scale Mining to Community Small Scale Mining.

Anyone, especially a researcher with a critical mindset will tell that almost all of the licensed Small Scale Miners in Ghana are predominantly fronting for foreigners or illegally operated with and still illegal operating with Foreigners. So, it is very shocking that our Authorities continued to be very ill-informed about what is exactly termed as Small Scale Mining and talking of licensing of Small Scale Mining. This must be ridiculous. It just like saying licensing of prostitution, now we have some as slay queens. You only need to Legalize or recognize and Regulate it with medical care/ free condom to protect them and their clienteles etc as well as sensitization, but not a establishments of ProstitutionBod to promote it in order to generate more revenue.

A simple Google for Small Scale Mining by a JSS pupil will tell him or her our tragedy in the Small Scale Mining is due to the very poor appreciation of what is small scale mining and the associated risk. This assertion was confirmed by seasoned scholars like Professor Amankwah Richard, Dr Gavin Hilson of Surrey University and Dr Abigail Hilson of University of London in their research work. Their research work revealed that there is a very big gap between what the Ghanaian Authorities think what is Small Scale Mining and what is actually Small Scale Mining Google for the ‘Informalization of Ghana’s Small Scale Gold Mining, Drivers and implication’.

So the Intelligentsia Community must stop our Authorities from kidding and educate them that Small Scale Miners whether licensed or not licensed but by Ghanaian laws they are predominantly in illegal mining operations. Due to breaches mining laws including the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 1999 (LI 1652) and violation of Section 83 of Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703) on qualification for Small Scale Mining as amplified at Section 111 of Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703).

Recommended solution is for Ghana to formalize the illegal mining operations of the Licensed Small Scale Miners by the establishment of Medium Scale Mining Sector and ensure compliance with Ghana laws including Environmental Impact Assessment 1999 (LI 1652). Thus with posting of reclamation Bond in US Dollars for the rehabilitation of mined out areas as well as compliance with other local and international standards and a plan to navigate all licensed Small Scale Miners to the Medium Scale Mining Sector for them to operate with foreigners since mining is capital intensive.

Our Authorities should relegate Small Scale Mining as Community Small Scale Mining for rural folks which should be permissible if and only if it is in the interest of the affected Community as was in the Small Scale Gold Mining Law 1989 (PNDC law 218) the parent law that lifted the over 100 years ban on Small Scale Mining..

A careful study on Small Scale Mining and the underlying issues or dynamics will reveal to even a JSS student that Small Scale Mining is a poverty driven phenomenon and must be regarded at all times as a poverty alleviation strategy by rural folks as source of livelihood. That was the main reason that made the PNDC as part of PAMSCARD to legalize Galamasey into Small Scale Gold Mining Law 1989 (PNDC law 218) as well as Banker to Banker lotto in 1989 into the District Lotto Law 1989 (PNDC law223). The recommended cure for the reduction of the menace of Small Scale Mining to the barest minimum is by effective monitoring by their local leaders and the State and adopt a very sensible way to navigate the operators to Alternative Livelihood Projects

Those tycoons parading as licensed Small Scale Miners, hence with mining rights must be navigated with the speed of light to a proposed Medium Scale Mining Sector to be covered by a Medium Scale Mining Law and they must post reclamation bond in US Dollars with Bank of Ghana as required by Environmental Assessment Regulation 1999 (LI 1652) for recovering their mined out areas or the messes, comply with local and international standards. GRA and Minerals Commission/GoldBod to supervise their gold production .Gold to be sold to GoldBod

As for Small Scale Mining, it will require firstly an in-depth study of the underlying issues of small scale mining and adopt a win-win solution through an initial containment of the Small Scale Miners with a legislation to recognize them. Then regulations to protect the environment as well as to afford protection to themselves and the people of the associated communities, with the view of navigating them gradually towards Sustainable Alternative Livelihood Projects. So an initial granting them a mining rights to operate in ecofriendly ways as a stop gap measure in order to buy time to win the hearts and minds of the Small Scale Miners for settlement on the Alternative Livelihood Projects.

So, with a crucial mindset reasoning, the truth must be told that Small Scale Mining is a poverty driven phenomenon as proclaimed by seasoned experts and the World Bank Group as available by the reputable search engine of Google. So please Google for Small Scale Mining and with a critical reasoning mindset you will surely conclude that Small Scale Mining is the same as the indigenous mining hence the time-tested Galamasey operation so we only need to contain indigenous mining as Small Scale Mining.

So what is required is not the daily cacophonous demonization of Small Scale Mining by the Government and the Media nor promoting small scale mining as means to improve the economy of Ghana as per the GoldBod idea but rather the Appreciation of the state of affairs in order to come out with interventions by Government by simultaneous multifaceted approaches.

There be a master plan, which should geared towards the provision of Alternative Livelihood Projects otherwise navigating them to medium scale mining sector to operate through compliance of international and local standards for mining with the support of the International Community especially the World Bank.

The media on the other hand, to provide proper public education on the Dos and the Don’ts and reports on activities of Small Scale Mining. So, the Government and the media should not demonize Small Scale Mining nor indulging in the promotion of Small Scale Mining as a business venture to the extent of the Government of Ghana through the GoldBod to expect Small Scale Mining as an answer to Ghana’s economic woe. This may be very dangerous if not well managed.

So, the tragedy in the Small Scale Mining Sector is due to very poor appreciation of Small Scale Mining by State officials and our Political leaders’ espcealliy, in the second administration of President Kofour and the first administration of President Mahama on what is Small Scale Mining and its underlying issues or the driven force. So as to determine what should be done to bring a predominant informal sector close to a formal sector under the strict monitoring of the State officials and community leaders.

It is envisaged that the very poor understanding of what is Small Scale Mining by our State Officials that has resulted in the passage of very bad Small Scale Mining Laws and Regulations which have facilitated the current massive destruction of the environment with the repercussions as threats to National Economy Security due to effects on the Cocoa sector/smuggling of gold , threat to Food Security and Water Security through destruction of arable lands and pollution and diversion or destruction of river or water bodies respectively.

There is also the threat of Public Health Security due to the use of mercury and the associated spread of aids. The cumulative effect is a threat to National Security, hence a potential looming existential threat to people in Ghana. So we must be very careful with the GoldBod concept which is a very good idea provided we tread cautiously with the GoldBod by studying the history of small Scale mining since 1906 as provided in this article and for the way forward.

To conclude, History tells that Small Scale Mining is predominantly a global poverty alleviation phenomenon, with the operators working with no mining rights because the mindset of true small scale miners is that the gold is a gift from God for them to escape from their poverty miseries. This interpretation is the same in the lexicon of the World Bank Group which main mission or objective is poverty reduction.

History also tells that entry into Small Scale Mining is very easy, since the method was/is by the usage of simple tools or implements. So the PNDC saw it as such and legalized galamasey into Small Scale Mining and placed restrictions including that it must be restricted to Ghanaians, no use of sophisticated technology, no use of substantial expenditure, the gold must be sold to Precious Minerals Marketing Company, not necessary to improve the financial stability of Ghana.

So let ensure our leaders act properly, as stated above with the establishment of medium scale mining for rich tycoons or the licensed small scale miners with the intended GoldBod and Small Scale Mining should be relegated to Community Small Scale Mining for Ghanaian rural dwellers . Gold from both the Medium Scale Mining Sector and Small Scale Mining Sector should be sold to the GoldBod.