The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Gold Council (WGC) to formalise Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, strengthen supply chain integrity and combat illicit finance and illegal gold trade.
The agreement, signed in Accra on Tuesday, forms part of government’s efforts to promote responsible mining practices, improve transparency across the gold value chain and channel more artisanal gold into the formal market.
Under the partnership, the World Gold Council has committed an initial development grant of US$250,000 to support cooperative registration under the Responsible Cooperative Mining Scheme Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), one of government’s flagship initiatives to formalise the sector.
The two parties said they shared a common vision of establishing a nationwide network of accessible and trusted gold processing plants that would operate in line with internationally recognised responsible sourcing standards.
The facilities are expected to provide artisanal miners with incentives to sell their gold through legal channels, reducing opportunities for smuggling and illicit trade.
The collaboration will also focus on developing policies and standards, strengthening institutional and community capacity, supporting traceability and gold origin verification technologies, and providing education and skills training for mining communities.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, described the agreement as a major milestone in Ghana’s efforts to transform the artisanal mining sector.
“This partnership reflects Ghana’s clear commitment to transforming artisanal and small-scale gold mining into a responsible, well-regulated and economically empowering sector,” he said.
Mr Armah Kofi-Buah said the collaboration would reinforce government’s ongoing reforms to improve governance within the sector.
“By working with the World Gold Council, we are strengthening our efforts to improve the formalisation of ASGM, eliminate harmful practices, and ensure that the benefits of Ghana’s gold resources are realised by our communities and our nation as a whole,” he stated.
The Chief Executive Officer of the World Gold Council, Mr David Tait, said Ghana’s status as one of the world’s leading gold producers made it a key partner in advancing responsible artisanal mining.
“Ghana is a global leader in gold production and has demonstrated real ambition in tackling the challenges and opportunities of artisanal and small-scale mining,” he said.
Mr Tait noted that the agreement established a strong foundation for long-term collaboration between government and industry to strengthen confidence in Ghana’s artisanal gold sector.
“This MoU provides a strong platform for collaboration, bringing together government leadership, international standards and industry expertise to help build a trusted, transparent and responsible ASGM value chain that works for miners, communities and markets alike,” he said.
Government said the agreement reflected a shared commitment to unlocking the social and economic benefits of responsible artisanal and small-scale gold mining while promoting environmental protection, improving community livelihoods and safeguarding the integrity of the global gold market.
