The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has rejected suggestions that it would support illegal mining, insisting that doing so would undermine its efforts to secure certification from the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA).
The Board’s Head of Communications, Prince Kwame Minkah, said responsible sourcing was a key requirement for the certification, which demands that gold entering the market comes from legitimate sources and is produced without causing environmental destruction.
He explained that GoldBod’s ambition to meet international standards meant it could not endorse mining activities that violate the law or damage the environment.
“Nobody should fall under any delusion that the CEO of GoldBod, whose institution is aspiring for LBMA Certification, would endorse illegal mining, especially when the prerequisite for LBMA Certification is responsible sourcing,” he said.
Mr Minkah’s comments follow public criticism of GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi over remarks concerning efforts to formalise unlicensed small-scale miners.
Mr Gyamfi subsequently clarified that his position was to bring eligible operators into a regulated system, rather than endorse illegal mining.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Saturday, October 24, Mr Minkah said his intervention was intended to reinforce Mr Gyamfi’s position on transitioning eligible miners into lawful operations.
The LBMA is a global authority in the precious metals market, with standards covering the quality of gold and silver as well as responsible sourcing.