Galamsey Remarks: Minority Demands Sammy Gyamfi Resigns, GoldBod Backs CEO

Sammy Gyamfi and Kwaku Ampratwum- Sarpong

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

The caucus has also called on the government to condemn and sanction Mr. Gyamfi, arguing that his remarks undermine efforts to combat illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.

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 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus demanded an unqualified apology from Sammy Gyamfi to Ghanaians.

The statement followed the circulation of a video in which Mr. Gyamfi was heard telling a group of people about the government’s position on small-scale mining operations 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 NPP MPs questioned whether the comments meant that galamsey operators could mine anywhere in the country without a small-scale mining licence, provided their operations were not located in the prohibited areas.

The caucus argued that such an interpretation could undermine the country’s mining laws and weaken accountability in the sector.

The Minority MPs cited Sections 9(1) and 82(1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), which require the appropriate mineral rights and a licence for small-scale mining operations.

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.

Although the law allows the Minister to designate areas for small-scale mining in the public interest, the Minority said such authority must be exercised in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.

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

It said the remarks contradicted the NDC’s assurances before the 2024 general election that it would tackle illegal mining if elected to power.

According to the statement, the government’s approach falls short of the commitment made by President John Mahama to wage a determined fight against the menace.

The party further accused the government of allowing illegal mining to continue despite its devastating effects on the environment.

GoldBod Defends CEO

Meanwhile, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has rejected allegations that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sammy Gyamfi, endorsed illegal mining, describing a video circulating on social media as selectively edited to misrepresent his remarks.

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

The board explained that Mr. Gyamfi was discussing the government’s policy of identifying and documenting mining operators and transitioning eligible informal miners into a lawful, regulated and environmentally responsible system.

It said the policy was not intended to legitimise illegal mining but to end illegality by bringing eligible operators into a formal framework where they could be licensed, monitored and held accountable for their activities.

The GoldBod said there was a fundamental difference between permitting illegal mining and establishing a pathway for eligible informal miners to regularise their operations in compliance with the law.

The statement follows criticism of Sammy Gyamfi over his comments on the conditions under which small-scale mining could be undertaken, with the Minority demanding his resignation or dismissal.

The GoldBod maintained that the CEO’s remarks concerned the formalisation of eligible informal operators rather than an endorsement of illegal mining.

It cited Mr. Gyamfi’s position at the 2026 Mining in Motion Summit, where he reiterated that effective mining regulation must combine enforcement with formalisation, capacity building and opportunities for miners who comply with the law.

Formalisation

The GoldBod said its approach was reflected in plans for an Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP), which it is developing 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 it had begun consultations with relevant 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.

**By Ernest Kofi Adu **

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