The Centre for Mining Research and Policy has rejected calls by the Minority in Parliament for GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi to resign, describing the demand as “unfounded, baseless and nothing more than political
rhetoric.”
The Centre argues that Mr. Gyamfi’s comments on the formalisation of eligible small-scale miners have been taken out of context and do
not justify calls for his removal.
In a statement, the Centre said the GoldBod CEO’s position was focused on bringing eligible miners into the regulated system through the acquisition of the necessary documentation, permits, certification and training.
According to Dr. Ofori Kodua, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre, the Minority’s argument wrongly equates the formalisation of eligible miners with granting permission for illegal mining.
“Mr Gyamfi has explained that eligible operators must obtain the necessary documentation, permits, certification and training,” the statement said.
It added that Mr. Gyamfi had expressly condemned mining activities that destroy water bodies, encroach on forest reserves or endanger communities.
The Centre maintained that formalisation provides a framework for bringing miners under regulatory supervision rather than allowing them to operate outside effective oversight.
The Centre also cited the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, which jointly organised the engagement where the disputed remarks were made, as having defended the context of the discussion.
According to the statement, the association argued that the circulated excerpt created a misleading impression of a conversation about registering and regularising eligible small-scale mining operators.
The Centre said the Minority’s demand for Mr. Gyamfi’s dismissal failed to give sufficient consideration to that explanation.
Beyond the controversy surrounding the remarks, the Centre pointed to GoldBod’s reported economic performance as another reason to support Mr Gyamfi’s leadership.
It said GoldBod had aggregated and exported 85.4 tonnes of small-scale gold valued at US$11.6 billion between January and October 20, 2026.
The Centre argued that the reported figures demonstrate the importance of Ghana’s small-scale mining sector and the need to strengthen official gold trading channels to maximise the country’s economic benefits.
It maintained that reforms aimed at improving the regulation and formalisation of the sector could help Ghana capture greater value from its mineral resources.
The Centre further highlighted GoldBod’s reported support for anti-illegal-mining operations and funding for the reclamation of 50 hectares of land in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
It also cited the procurement of a traceability system designed to establish the lawful origin of gold moving through the supply chain.
While acknowledging the need for these initiatives to deliver measurable results and remain subject to scrutiny, the Centre said they provided substantive grounds for supporting Mr. Gyamfi’s reform agenda.
“Ghana must enforce its licensing requirements. Formalisation must secure compliance with the law, while destructive mining faces firm action,” the statement said.
The Centre argued that helping eligible miners secure licences, adopt safer practices and operate under regulatory supervision offered a practical approach to improving compliance while tackling illegal mining.
The statement also pointed to GoldBod’s engagement with the World Gold Council on formalisation, traceability and responsible processing as evidence of Mr. Gyamfi’s efforts to connect Ghana’s domestic mining priorities with international expertise.
It said his engagement with miners, regulators, technical institutions and international partners demonstrated an ability to build cooperation around reforms in the gold sector.
The Centre maintained that his willingness to explain policy positions, address concerns and engage relevant stakeholders strengthened the case for allowing him to continue leading GoldBod.
The Centre for Mining Research and Policy said parliamentary scrutiny should focus on strengthening reforms and assessing their outcomes rather than turning a clarified policy position into a campaign for dismissal.
It therefore firmly rejected the Minority’s resignation demand and called for continued support for Mr. Gyamfi as GoldBod pursues measures to improve the management of Ghana’s gold resources.
“Sammy Gyamfi deserves the national backing to deliver greater economic value from Ghana’s gold while strengthening environmental accountability,” the statement said.
“His leadership should be supported, his reforms accelerated and his results allowed to speak.”
The Centre’s position is that Ghana can pursue both the formalisation of eligible small-scale miners and a firm crackdown on destructive illegal mining, provided licensing requirements are enforced and the reforms are subject to effective oversight.
