GoldBod Defends ASM Formalisation, Says Responsible Miners Should Not Be Chased With Soldiers

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has defended the formalisation of unlicensed artisanal and small-scale mining operations that do not threaten water bodies, forest reserves or public safety, arguing that bringing eligible miners into the regulated sector is a more sustainable approach than relying solely on military enforcement.

GoldBod maintains that mining operations conducted outside environmentally sensitive areas and locations that pose risks to communities can be assessed for formalisation under the government’s Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP).

The position forms part of the board’s broader push to transform unlicensed artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs) into licensed, trained and responsible operators through legal documentation, certification, permits, financing and technical support.

GoldBod has identified three categories of unlicensed artisanal and small-scale mining activities that it considers unacceptable and unsuitable for reform through formalisation.

These include mining activities that affect water bodies, operations conducted within forest reserves, and mining in locations within communities where the activities endanger public safety and health.

Such locations may include roadsides, school lands and residential premises, including bedrooms.

According to GoldBod, these activities must not be tolerated or treated as eligible for formalisation under the responsible mining approach.

However, the board argues that unlicensed miners operating outside these prohibited locations should be considered for formalisation if their activities meet the relevant eligibility requirements.

GoldBod has maintained that formalising eligible unlicensed miners offers a more practical approach to addressing challenges in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector than relying exclusively on military operations to pursue them.

The government’s Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme is intended to help transform eligible operators into licensed and responsible miners while promoting environmental sustainability.

Under this approach, formalisation would involve supporting miners to obtain the necessary legal documentation, permits and certifications, alongside training to improve their mining practices.

GoldBod argues that bringing eligible operators into the formal economy could help strengthen regulatory oversight and encourage responsible mining practices.

The board also addressed a video circulating on social media, arguing that a short excerpt had been cut in a way that omitted important details of the explanation on the government’s proposed approach to formalising unlicensed artisanal and small-scale miners.

According to GoldBod, the circulated excerpt did not fully capture the support the government intends to provide to eligible miners to help them comply with legal and operational requirements.

The board reiterated that its position is not to legitimise all unlicensed mining operations, but to distinguish activities that are fundamentally harmful from those that could be brought under a regulated framework.

Speaking at the recently concluded Mining in Motion Summit, GoldBod highlighted formalisation as a key component of Ghana’s efforts to improve sustainability in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector.

The board stressed that mining regulations must combine firm enforcement with practical and commercially viable pathways to compliance.

“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,” the statement quoted the speaker as saying.

The address further argued that regulation should extend beyond policing miners to include formalisation, capacity building and the creation of economic opportunities for young Africans across the mining and mineral-trading value chain.

GoldBod believes that properly supported artisanal and small-scale mining can contribute to livelihoods, foreign exchange earnings, national reserves, indigenous enterprise and sustainable economic development.

As part of its plans to support the sector, GoldBod says it intends to roll out an ASM Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP) in 2027.

The proposed initiative is expected to be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and Rand Refinery.

According to the board, the programme will seek to increase sustainable gold production, improve mineral revenue generation and create jobs while reducing operational costs and environmental risks.

GoldBod also maintains that modern technology, sound engineering, improved recovery rates and better waste management can help make properly organised small-scale mining safer and more productive.

The proposed programme forms part of the board’s broader strategy to encourage indigenous participation in the mining sector while strengthening traceability, regulatory compliance and environmental responsibility.