A coalition of civil society organisations has demanded a public retraction from Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi over remarks attributed to him on the formalisation of unlicensed small-scale mining, describing them as “irresponsible” and “retrogressive”.

The coalition comprises A Rocha Ghana, EcoConscious Citizens, Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape and COMPAD.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, October 23, the organisations criticised comments allegedly made by Gyamfi suggesting that miners operating outside water bodies, forest reserves, roadsides and residential areas could be permitted to mine regardless of whether they held valid licences.

The CSOs said mining outside environmentally sensitive areas does not automatically make an operation legal, insisting that all miners must obtain the required licences and comply with environmental and other regulatory requirements.

Citing the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), the organisations warned that any suggestion that unlicensed mining could be permitted undermines the legal framework governing the sector and GoldBod’s mandate to formalise small-scale mining through responsible sourcing and gold traceability.

They further warned that the alleged remarks could encourage illegal miners to invade farmlands and other properties, threaten landowners and farmers, and worsen environmental degradation.

According to the groups, such developments could undermine the work of security agencies in combating illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, and put Ghana’s gold traceability system at risk.

The organisations are demanding that Gyamfi retract the remarks publicly through the same channels and in the same language in which they were allegedly made. They also want him to state unequivocally that mining without a valid licence remains illegal.

The coalition has called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission to clarify the government’s policy on illegal mining and explain the purpose and safeguards of a reported directive for District Chief Executives to compile locations where mining activities are taking place.

t also urged GoldBod to reaffirm and enforce restrictions on purchasing gold from unlicensed miners.

The Inspector-General of Police, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and District Security Councils were also urged to protect landowners and farmers against unlawful land invasions.

“The message must remain simple: no licence, no mining,” the statement stressed.