Ghana’s gold sector, despite generating over $5 billion in annual export revenue is grappling with an estimated $2.3 billion in yearly losses due to illegal and unregulated mining activities.
In response, the United Kingdom-Ghana Gold Program (UKGGP) is intensifying efforts to combat these losses by formalizing the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, a key but often informal pillar of the country’s mining industry.
Spearheaded by UK-based TAG International in partnership with the Government of Ghana, the UKGGP is rolling out technical training, community development programs, and environmental stewardship initiatives across mineral-rich towns including Aboso, Prestea, and Bondaye. The objective is to transition thousands of informal ASGM operators into the legal value chain, improving regulatory compliance, boosting state revenues, and enhancing the livelihoods of mining communities.
“The UKGGP’s mission is to tackle illegal mining head-on while strengthening the operational and technical capacity of Ghana’s small-scale miners,” the Program stated. “Formalization is not only a regulatory necessity but a development imperative.”
As part of its engagement strategy, the UKGGP will participate as a Bronze Sponsor at the upcoming Mining in Motion summit, taking place June 2–4, 2025, in Accra. Organized by the Ashanti Green Initiative and supported by Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the World Bank, and the World Gold Council, the summit will spotlight key innovations in sustainable mining, environmental rehabilitation, and artisanal sector transformation.
Energy Capital & Power, an investment platform focused on Africa’s energy and extractives sectors, noted in a statement that the summit “serves as a critical forum to foster collaboration, investment, and knowledge exchange across Ghana’s mining value chain with a strong emphasis on formalizing artisanal operations and unlocking long-term value.”
By bringing together regulators, investors, and grassroots stakeholders, the summit provides a timely platform for UKGGP to showcase its impact and scale up its reach.
The Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) , a global standard for open and accountable management of natural resources reports that opaque agreements remain a major risk, facilitating illicit financial flows that cost Africa an estimated USD 88.6 billion annually.
The EITI further notes that transparency initiatives on local procurement, employment and artisanal and small-scale mining in countries such as Ghana are helping to ensure that local communities benefit from extractive activities.
