GoldBod reforms create 4,866 direct jobs in less than two years — Sammy Gyamfi

The Ghana Gold Board says its institutional, licensing and value-addition reforms have created 4,866 direct jobs in less than two years, as the country seeks to expand local participation in the gold value chain.

Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, disclosed this while delivering a keynote address at the African Minerals Policy Forum, Mining in Motion 2026.

He said the jobs comprised 361 public-sector positions and 4,505 private-sector jobs, with additional indirect employment opportunities emerging across the mining, processing, refining and trading sectors.

Mr Gyamfi said the reforms were designed not only to improve gold-trade regulation and increase foreign-exchange inflows but also to ensure that more Ghanaians participate meaningfully in the industry.

He noted that opportunities were opening up for artisanal smelters, jewellers and young entrepreneurs, arguing that mineral wealth must translate into decent employment and productive livelihoods for the country’s growing youth population.

According to him, Africa’s mineral economy must move beyond extracting and exporting raw materials to developing indigenous businesses capable of providing equipment, financing, technology, processing and other services across the value chain.

He said mineral sovereignty would remain incomplete if the highest-value activities in the industry continued to be controlled outside the continent.

As part of efforts to expand Ghanaian participation, GoldBod is also working with the Ghana Geological Survey Authority to undertake geological investigations in mineralised areas, including Funsi in the Upper West Region and Bensere in the Ashanti Region.

The studies are expected to reduce investment risks, attract credible investors and help Ghana secure stronger equity interests in mines developed from the identified deposits.

Mr Gyamfi said the approach could help the country move beyond dependence on free-carried interests and royalties towards greater ownership of sustainable mining operations.

He also announced plans for GoldBod to roll out an Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme in 2027, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the University of Mines and Technology, with technical support from South Africa’s Rand Refinery.

The programme is intended to improve production, reduce operational costs and environmental degradation, and create more sustainable opportunities for small-scale miners.

Mr Gyamfi said regulation must be firm but practical and inclusive, making compliance a pathway to opportunity rather than hardship.