This gov’t is not serious about ending galamsey– Afenyo-Markin

Parliament has passed the Ghana Gold Board Bill 2025. This bill creates the Gold Board, which will regulate the gold industry.

The board will manage gold purchases, sales, and exports. Its goals are to improve transparency and traceability. It also aims to increase foreign exchange earnings to stabilize the cedi. However, the bill has faced criticism from the Minority in Parliament.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin spoke to journalists about his concerns. He questioned the government's commitment to fighting illegal mining, known as galamsey. He also raised issues about allocating GH₵4.6 billion for this initiative.

Afenyo-Markin stated, “We all know the struggles this country faces with galamsey.” He criticized the government for creating what he calls a "Galamsey Board." Instead of investing in agriculture and women's banking, he said they are funding galamsey operations.

He argued that these actions contradict the government's public stance against illegal mining. “How can you claim to be fighting galamsey while establishing an entity to regulate and fund it?” he asked. He believes this shows a lack of seriousness about ending illegal mining.

The government claims that the Ghana Gold Board will bring order to the gold sector. It aims to ensure responsible mining practices and maximize state revenue. Critics like Afenyo-Markin worry that this move could legitimize galamsey operators under the guise of regulation.