The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has raised concerns over the role of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) in the fight against illegal mining, alleging that its gold purchasing arrangements may be allowing illegally mined gold to enter the formal market.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, NPP National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye questioned the effectiveness of the mechanisms used by GoldBod and its licensed buyers to establish the origin of gold purchased from mining communities.

He argued that weaknesses in the gold supply chain could make it difficult to distinguish between gold produced by legally licensed miners and that obtained through illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.

“GoldBod, I can tell you now, is the cause of the environmental destruction we are seeing. They are now responsible for galamsey,” Mr Boakye alleged.

According to him, the concerns go beyond the NPP, with stakeholders within the mining sector, including the Ghana Chamber of Mines and some Members of Parliament, also questioning the source of gold purchased through GoldBod’s network.

Mr Boakye challenged GoldBod to explain how it verifies the origin of gold before it is purchased and subsequently introduced into the formal trading system.

“If GoldBod is not buying galamsey gold, then who is?” he asked, insisting that the state-owned institution must provide greater clarity on its gold sourcing and traceability processes.

He also criticised what he described as repeated assurances that measures were being developed to strengthen traceability, arguing that the concerns surrounding the source of gold entering the formal market remain unresolved.

The NPP National Organiser is therefore calling for greater transparency in GoldBod’s operations, particularly in relation to the processes used by the institution and its licensed buyers to verify the source of gold purchased from miners.

The allegations come amid continuing national efforts to curb illegal mining, which has been blamed for widespread environmental degradation and the pollution of water bodies across the country.