Minority demands Sammy Gyamfi’s resignation over galamsey comments

The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, over comments it says suggest that small-scale mining could be undertaken without a licence or the required permits in certain areas.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus has also demanded an unqualified apology from Mr Gyamfi and urged the government to publicly condemn and sanction him.

The call was contained in a statement issued on October 23, 2026, and signed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong.

The statement followed the circulation of a video in which Mr Gyamfi was heard explaining the government’s position on small-scale mining outside forest reserves, water bodies and roadsides.

“Once it’s not a water body; it’s not a forest reserve or place like a roadside, whether the person has licence or not, the government says we should allow the person to mine and register and regularise them,” Sammy Gyamfi, the GoldBod CEO, reportedly stated.

The Minority questioned whether the comments meant that operators could undertake small-scale mining without a licence, provided their activities were not located in prohibited areas.

It argued that such an interpretation could undermine Ghana’s mining laws and weaken efforts to hold operators accountable in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

The caucus cited Sections 9(1) and 82(1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), which require persons undertaking mining activities to obtain the appropriate mineral rights and licences.

Section 9(1) provides that a person cannot undertake activities relating to the search for, exploration or mining of minerals without a mineral right granted in accordance with the law.

Section 82(1), meanwhile, stipulates that a person cannot undertake small-scale mining operations unless a licence has been granted by the Minister responsible for Mines or an authorised officer.

While acknowledging that the law permits the Minister to designate areas for small-scale mining in the public interest, the Minority said any such authority must be exercised within the applicable legal framework.

The caucus described Mr Gyamfi’s reported comments as reckless and accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of failing to demonstrate a credible approach to tackling illegal mining.

It further argued that the comments contradicted assurances given by the NDC ahead of the 2024 general election that it would tackle illegal mining if elected.

According to the Minority, the government’s approach falls short of President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to fight the menace, which it said continues to have devastating effects on the environment.

GoldBod defends CEO

GoldBod has, however, rejected the allegations against its CEO, describing the circulating video as a selectively edited excerpt that misrepresents Mr Gyamfi’s position.

In a statement issued by its Media Relations Unit, the board said the video was taken from an engagement between Mr Gyamfi and artisanal and small-scale miners in March 2026 and had been taken out of context.

According to GoldBod, Mr Gyamfi was explaining the government’s policy of identifying and documenting mining operators and transitioning eligible informal miners into a lawful, regulated and environmentally responsible system.

The board said the policy was not designed to legitimise illegal mining but rather to end illegality by bringing eligible operators into a formal framework where they could be licensed, monitored and held accountable.

It stressed that there was a fundamental difference between permitting illegal mining and creating a pathway for eligible informal miners to regularise their operations in accordance with the law.

GoldBod said the CEO’s position was consistent with remarks he made at the 2026 Mining in Motion Summit, where he argued that effective mining regulation should combine enforcement with formalisation, capacity building and opportunities for miners who comply with the law.

Formalisation programme

GoldBod said its formalisation approach was reflected in plans for an Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP).

The programme is being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and the Mineral Income Investment Fund (MIIF), with technical support from Rand Refinery SA.

The programme, expected to be rolled out in 2027, is intended to improve access to finance, increase production and mineral revenues, create jobs, reduce operational costs and address environmental degradation associated with mining.

The board said consultations had begun with government agencies, small-scale miners’ associations, civil society organisations and other industry stakeholders to gather input and ensure that the proposed programme was inclusive and sustainable.

The controversy has consequently set the Minority’s demand for Mr Gyamfi’s removal against GoldBod’s insistence that his remarks were about formalising eligible informal miners rather than endorsing illegal mining.