The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of contributing to the recent surge in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, following the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).
Speaking at the Minority Caucus’ “Holding Government to Account” press conference, Minority Leader and Effutu MP, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said the government has failed to clearly outline its policy direction and concrete measures for tackling illegal mining.
He questioned the role of GoldBod in the fight against galamsey, arguing that the board has not demonstrated how it differentiates between legally mined gold and gold sourced from illicit operations.
According to Afenyo-Markin, the government appears more focused on public relations than decisive action, pointing to the continued pollution of the country’s water bodies as evidence of a lack of genuine commitment.
While the Minority does not oppose the Gold-for-Reserves policy introduced by the previous administration, Afenyo-Markin expressed concern that GoldBod’s dual role as both regulator and operator could be indirectly encouraging galamsey activities.
The Minority insists that without clear safeguards and transparency in GoldBod’s operations, efforts to combat illegal mining will remain ineffective.
“Our water bodies are being polluted, and even organised labour has raised concerns that galamsey activities have worsened,” he said.
“Today, we do not know whether GoldBod distinguishes between legally mined gold and illicit gold. All we hear are success stories about the tons of gold they have purchased,” he added.
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