The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has said illegal small-scale miners operating outside water bodies, forest reserves and other prohibited or dangerous locations should be supported to obtain licences rather than being chased away by soldiers.

In a post on X sighted by GhanaWeb Business, Gyamfi explained that the government intends to help such miners formalise their operations through the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), which seeks to promote responsible mining.

However, he stressed that three forms of illegal mining cannot be tolerated: mining that pollutes or threatens water bodies, mining in forest reserves, and mining in dangerous or prohibited locations, including roadsides, school lands and residential areas.

Ghana targets GH¢15.38 billion in domestic borrowing in fourth quarter

According to him, miners operating outside these prohibited areas may qualify for government support to obtain the necessary licences and permits, as well as training to enable them to operate legally.

“I maintain that formalizing such unlicensed ASMs is a better approach than chasing them with soldiers,” he stated.

Gyamfi also rejected claims arising from a short video circulating on social media, arguing that the footage had been deliberately edited to exclude important parts of his explanation of the government’s plans to regulate small-scale mining.

He explained that bringing unlicensed artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs) into the formal mining sector would enable the government to monitor their activities and ensure that gold production is properly recorded.

Speaking at the Mining in Motion Summit 2026, he said mining regulations should not focus solely on arresting offenders but should also help miners acquire the necessary skills, access financing and operate responsibly.

He further announced that GoldBod would introduce an Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP) next year, in partnership with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the University of Mines and Technology and Rand Refinery.

Investment Fraud: Seven warning signs you should never ignore

The initiative is expected to promote responsible gold production, create jobs, increase government revenue and reduce environmental damage.

It is also intended to help more Ghanaians benefit from the country’s mineral resources while encouraging small-scale miners to operate within the law.

1. There are three (3) forms of unlicensed artisanal and small-scale mining operations that are irredeemably wrong and can neither be tolerated nor reformed.

* Mining that impacts water bodies
* Mining in forest reserves
* Mining in obscene places in communities such as road sides, school lands, bedrooms etc. that pose dangers to society and public health

2. Once artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs) are not mining in a forest reserve, a water body or an obscene place that negatively impacts the environment, that mineralized area, even if unlicensed, meets the eligibility requirement of FORMALIZATION and can be declared as fit for cooperative mining under government’s “Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP). I maintain that formalizing such unlicensed ASMs is a better approach than chasing them with soldiers. The rCOMSDEP is an ASM formalization initiative aimed at transforming such unlicensed ASMs into licensed and responsible ASMs to promote sustainability in the sector.

3. The small portion of the video that has been mischievously cut and is being circulated, leaves out important details of my explanation of what government is willing to do to support the formalization of such unlicensed ASMs to ensure that they have the appropriate legal documentation, certifications, permits and training for sustainable small-scale mining.

4. ASM formalization and traceability is the new paradigm shift of Ghana’s quest towards sustainability in the ASM sector. The provision of formalization, training and financing support for ASMs whose activities do not negatively impact water bodies, forest reserves or obscene places in our communities to bring them into the formal and responsible mining economy, is a crucial imperative for the fight against irresponsible mining and our national quest to promote sustainability in the mining sector.

5. As I noted in my keynote address at the just-ended Mining in Motion summit on “ASM Formalization; the new paradigm”;

“…….regulation must be firm, but also practical, inclusive and commercially sound. Reform will endure only when compliance becomes a pathway to opportunity rather than hardships. Mining regulations must therefore do more than police miners; it must formalize, build capacities and create opportunities for young Africans in the mining and trading ecosystem. I believe that with proper formalization, financing support and training, Artisanal and Small-scale mining can support livelihoods, generate foreign exchange, strengthen reserves, grow indigenous enterprise and advance national development sustainably.”

“We at the GoldBod hold the view, that properly organized small-scale mining offers one of the clearest pathways from mineral ownership in law to indigenous ownership in practice. Supported by modern technology and sound engineering, the sector can optimize recovery rates, reduce waste, improve safety, preserve the environment and create productive opportunities for young Africans.”

“This is why the GoldBod will next year roll out an ASM Formalization and Financing Support Program (FFSP), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the University of Mines and Technology and Rand Refinery, with the aim of sustainably ramping up gold production, mineral revenue and job creation, while reducing operational costs and environmental risks.”

— Sammy Gyamfi (@SammyGyamfi_) October 23, 2026