GoldBod to donate 5 pickups, GHS5 million to support galamsey fight — Sammy Gyamfi

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has announced plans to support the country’s renewed efforts to clamp down on illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, disclosed that beginning next week, the statutory body will donate five Toyota Hilux pickups and an amount of GHS5 million to the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).

He said this while speaking at the maiden edition of the Mining and Minerals Convention in Accra on Tuesday, September 9, where he outlined a raft of initiatives by the newly established gold regulatory body.

According to him, the intervention forms part of GoldBod’s broader mandate to ensure responsible mining, protect the environment, and optimize the country’s returns from gold.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to also underscore the commitment of the GoldBod to government’s avowed fight against the illegal mining menace. To this end, the GoldBod will next week, donate five (5) Toyota Hilux pickups and an amount of GHS5 million to support the work of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS),” Mr. Gyamfi said.

He further announced that from November this year, GoldBod will finance the reclamation of 1,000 hectares of destroyed forest reserves, as part of efforts to restore lands devastated by illegal mining.

The CEO also highlighted that since January 2025, the country's small-scale gold exports supervised by GoldBod have reached a record-high of 66.7 tonnes valued at $6 billion, surpassing the total 2024 outturn.

He attributed the feat to reforms introduced by the board to curb smuggling and streamline the gold trade.

He further highlighted GoldBod’s readiness to partner with government, miners, and financial institutions to maximize gold output, create jobs, and transform Ghana’s mining sector into a driver of long-term national development.