“Sammy Gyamfi Was Not Asking Miners to Start Mining Without Permits” — Paa Kwesi Schandorf Clarifies

According to a report by TV3 Ghana on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, the NAIMOS spokesperson and Media Relations Officer at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has clarified remarks made by GoldBod Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, concerning illegal mining activities in Ghana.

Schandorf explained that Gyamfi was not asking miners to move to mining sites and immediately commence operations without obtaining the necessary permits. Rather, he said the GoldBod CEO was referring to the formalisation of mining activities under the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP).

The clarification follows concerns and criticism over Gyamfi’s remarks, which have generated public discussion about the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to Schandorf, Gyamfi’s comments should be understood within the context of efforts to organise and regulate mining activities. He clarified that the intention was not to encourage miners to operate without the necessary legal authorisation.

The rCOMSDEP initiative is associated with efforts to promote responsible small-scale mining and improve the organisation of mining activities. However, miners are still expected to comply with applicable laws and obtain the required permits before commencing operations.

The issue has attracted attention because illegal mining continues to pose serious environmental challenges in Ghana, including the destruction of forest reserves and pollution of water bodies.

Meanwhile, the Coalition Against Galamsey (CAGG) has condemned the remarks attributed to Gyamfi and called on the Attorney-General to investigate what it considers alleged advocacy for illegal mining.

The development has renewed discussions about the need to formalise small-scale mining while ensuring that the laws governing the sector are strictly enforced.

Schandorf’s clarification seeks to make it clear that Gyamfi’s comments were about formalising mining activities under rCOMSDEP and should not be interpreted as a call for miners to begin operations without the required permits.

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