Dr Steve Manteaw, Co-chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, is calling for the establishment of security points to curb the illegal export of gold from the country. 

At a press briefing organised by the Civil Society Organisations Alliance on Wednesday, July 3, Dr Manteaw highlighted the challenges miners face in transporting gold to Kotoka International Airport for export, leading many to smuggle gold through various exit points across Ghana.

This illicit practice, according to Dr. Manteaw, results in significant revenue losses for the state. 

He emphasised the urgent need for improved border security measures to address this issue and secure the country's resources.

Dr Manteaw urged political parties to incorporate policy reforms aimed at halting these revenue leakages into their platforms, particularly as the 2024 general elections approach. 

He stressed that such measures are critical for enhancing Ghana's revenue and ensuring the integrity of its extractive industries.

By implementing these reforms, Dr. Manteaw believes that Ghana can better safeguard its gold exports and bolster its economic stability.

“We found that the biggest risk in the [gold business] chain comes from the fact that in Ghana, the only point through which you can export small-scale gold is the Kotoka International Airport, yet we have miners operating in areas like Bole, which shares a border with La Côte d’Ivoire."

“The [miners] may not want to come to Accra to send their gold out so what they do is just cross the border with the gold, which amounts to a lot of potential revenue."

“It, therefore, makes sense that we ensure that we have a safe facility at all the major exit and entry points of the country so that we can track the export of gold across our borders," he said.