Sammy Gyamfi’s remarks unlawful, reckless – Anti-Galamsey Coalition asks AG to probe GoldBod CEO

The Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (CAGG) has condemned remarks attributed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, and asked the Attorney-General to investigate whether they amount to abetting illegal mining.

In a press release dated October 24, 2026, the coalition said it was gravely concerned by public statements attributed to Mr Gyamfi in which artisanal miners were encouraged to mine without a licence, so long as they avoid forest reserves and river bodies.

CAGG described the remarks as “unlawful, reckless,” and a “betrayal of the fight against galamsey”. It said they ignored integrated land use planning and food production, and warned they could trigger communal arms conflicts.

Citing Section 99(2)(a) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995 of 2019, the coalition said there is no exception to licensing, and that the law does not exempt mining outside forests and rivers.

CAGG added that Section 99 of Act 995 extends liability to anyone who commands, instigates, employs, or facilitates illegal mining, with the same penalty as the miner: a fine of 10,000 to 15,000 penalty units (GH¢120,000 to GH¢180,000) and imprisonment of 15 to 25 years. A public officer urging people to mine without a licence, it said, is not giving advice but instigating a crime.

Demands

The coalition demanded that Mr Gyamfi retract the statement and issue an unqualified apology. It asked the President, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and the Minerals Commission to reaffirm publicly that no mining is legal without a licence, irrespective of location, and urged the Attorney-General to investigate under Section 99 of Act 995.

CAGG also asked the Ministry of National Security, the Ghana Police Service, and the Ministry of the Interior to protect farmers and landowners against possible invasions and set up rapid-response channels for reporting encroachment. It called for a national farmland protection plan with legal protection, no-go mining zones, farmland mapping and registration, and compensation and remediation for affected farmers.

GoldBod’s position

GoldBod has rejected claims that Mr Gyamfi endorsed illegal mining, describing a video in circulation as selectively edited. In a statement on 24 October, it said government’s policy is to transition eligible informal miners into a licensed, regulated system, not to legitimise illegal mining. In a post on X on 23 October, Mr Gyamfi said mining in water bodies, forest reserves, and places such as roadsides and school lands cannot be tolerated.

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has separately demanded his resignation or dismissal.

The CAGG release was signed by Convenor Kenneth Ashigbey and members Awula Serwah, Bismark Owusu Nortey, and Daryl Bosu. It lists organisations including A Rocha Ghana, EcoConscious Citizens, and the Africa Centre for Energy Policy.