Ghana's law will deal with locals caught fronting for foreigners - GOLDBOD

Prince Kwame Minkah, the Media Relations Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD), has issued a warning. He cautioned Ghanaians who assist foreign nationals in gold smuggling. Such individuals will face consequences under Ghanaian law.

In an interview on JoyNews' The Pulse, Mr. Minkah discussed the government's crackdown. They are targeting both local collaborators and foreign offenders exploiting the gold sector.

“If you're a Ghanaian caught fronting for a foreigner, you will be punished,” he stated firmly.

His comments follow recent arrests of foreign nationals involved in gold smuggling. Several Indian nationals were apprehended by Ghana’s security agencies and are facing court proceedings.

“These individuals were engaged in gold smuggling. Investigations revealed that a Ghanaian was assisting them,” he explained. “The details are still emerging, but we will enforce the law.”

Mr. Minkah highlighted the ongoing issue of foreign involvement in gold smuggling. Many foreigners use Ghanaian license holders as fronts for illegal operations disguised as legitimate mining.

He emphasized that this problem is what the Ghana Gold Board aims to address.

“That is exactly what our initiative seeks to cure,” he said. “It’s a deeply rooted issue that has persisted for years.”

Mr. Minkah reaffirmed the government's commitment to cleaning up the sector. They want Ghanaians to benefit from mineral resources without interference from foreigners or local collaborators.

“We have solutions and are implementing them,” he added. “This is a national interest issue, and anyone found complicit will not be spared.”