Natural resource governance expert Dr Steve Manteaw has cautioned the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) against relying simply on miners’ licences as the main test for determining whether gold can enter its buying system.
He argues that while ensuring that gold comes from legitimate mining operations is essential, simply asking miners to prove they are licensed could create unintended consequences. Such a situation, he says, could potentially allow illegal gold to continue entering the market or push it outside Ghana altogether.
According to Dr Manteaw, the real challenge is not merely identifying who has a mining licence, but being able to trace the gold from its source to the point of sale.
Licensed Miners Could Become a Gateway for Galamsey Gold
Dr Manteaw warns that requiring miners to present licences before selling gold could create a new loophole. He believes that unlicensed miners involved in illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, could simply sell their gold through licensed miners willing to act as intermediaries for a fee.
In such a situation, the gold would appear legitimate on paper because it was sold by a licensed operator, even though its actual source may have been illegal mining.
The result, he argues, would be that galamsey gold could continue entering the formal gold-buying chain despite tighter licensing checks. In other words, the licence would identify the seller, but not necessarily the true origin of the gold.
Illegal Miners Could Simply Take the Gold Elsewhere
Dr Manteaw also warns that a strict licence-based buying system could push illegal miners towards alternative markets, including smuggling. If galamsey operators can no longer sell their gold through the formal GoldBod system, they may seek buyers willing to accept the gold without asking questions.
That could mean Ghana loses the gold, the taxes and other economic benefits associated with its sale, while the environmental damage caused by illegal mining remains. This can be termed as double jeopardy.
In other words, Ghana could end up losing on both sides: the country loses the economic value of the gold while still carrying the environmental cost of galamsey.
The Answer Is Traceability, Not Just Licences
For Dr Manteaw, the more sustainable solution is to build an effective system that can establish where gold comes from and track it through the supply chain.
He believes Ghana should focus on developing efficient tracing and tracking mechanisms that make it difficult for illegally mined gold to be disguised as legitimate production.
Such a system would go beyond asking, “Are you licensed?” It would seek to answer a more important question of “Where exactly did this gold come from?” That distinction is crucial because a licensed miner can potentially become a channel through which gold from illegal sources enters the legitimate market.
GoldBod Should Open Up Its Traceability Efforts
Dr Manteaw is therefore challenging GoldBod to convene a public forum to explain what it is doing to improve gold traceability and to invite ideas from stakeholders and the wider public.
He argues that the fight against illegal mining requires more than criticism of institutions. It requires practical systems that can close loopholes across the gold supply chain.
He is also urging GoldBod to continue supporting government efforts in land reclamation, water treatment and environmental sustainability as part of the broader response to illegal mining.
