The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has called for a shift in Africa’s approach to resource management, stressing that the continent’s natural resources must be used to promote African ownership, value creation and sustainable economic transformation.

Speaking at the Africa Rising Symposium organised by EMY Africa in London, Mr Gyamfi said Africa’s development should move beyond discussions about discovering its resources to ensuring that Africans retain greater control and benefits from those resources.

Addressing the symposium on the theme, “The Growing Relationship Between Africa and Its Global Diaspora and Why This Movement Matters,” the GoldBod CEO urged the African diaspora to transition from mainly supporting families through remittances to becoming strategic investors in sectors that drive long-term growth.

He described the diaspora as a key asset with the capital, expertise, technology and networks needed to accelerate Africa’s transformation.

“Remittances are lifelines, but investments build self-sustaining engines. Remittances help households survive, but investments help economies transform,” Mr Gyamfi said, urging diaspora communities to support productive sectors including manufacturing, agribusiness, technology, healthcare, infrastructure, green energy and value addition.

Mr Gyamfi also called on African governments to create the right environment for investment through policy consistency, transparent institutions and protection of contracts.

He said the continent’s resources must increasingly serve as a foundation for African prosperity while encouraging partnerships that are mutually beneficial. “Fellow Africans, Africa is rising. Let Africans rise with her,” he stated.

He commended President John Dramani Mahama for pursuing policies aimed at strengthening African ownership of strategic sectors and resetting Ghana’s economy.

Under his leadership, GoldBod has focused on formalising Ghana’s gold trade, improving traceability, combating gold smuggling, increasing foreign exchange mobilisation and supporting the accumulation of gold reserves by the Bank of Ghana.