Ghana has officially launched the GoldBod Taskforce, a dedicated special enforcement unit under the newly formed Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), to clamp down on gold smuggling, illegal gold trade, and galamsey activities.
The task force was inaugurated on July 8, 2025, in Accra by President John Dramani Mahama, as a critical part of the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
The move follows growing national concern over the $11.4 billion loss in state revenue due to unaccounted gold exports over the past five years, an alarming 229-metric-tonne shortfall revealed by the government.
A National Mission to Secure Ghana’s Gold Wealth
The GoldBod Taskforce’s primary mission is to restore integrity to Ghana’s gold value chain. Its core functions include:
- Dismantling gold smuggling networks
- Enforcing anti-galamsey and mining laws
- Blocking unlicensed gold trading
- Prohibiting foreigners from buying gold directly in Ghana’s local markets
- Ensuring that gold revenues benefit the Ghanaian people
The task force will operate nationwide, especially in areas plagued by illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), which has damaged ecosystems, polluted water bodies, and weakened the country’s control over its gold production and export systems.
President Mahama, speaking at the inauguration, emphasised,
We can no longer sit by and allow our gold resources to be stolen in plain sight. The GoldBod Taskforce will help us take back what belongs to Ghana.
Trained, Monitored, and Accountable
To ensure transparency and integrity, the GoldBod Taskforce is composed of highly vetted personnel drawn from Ghana’s military, police, national security, and other enforcement agencies. Each officer has undergone:
- Polygraph tests
- Anti-corruption training
- Operational integrity assessments
In a groundbreaking move, every officer will be equipped with body cameras, and all taskforce vehicles will be GPS-tracked and monitored in real-time.
No enforcement operation can be launched without written approval from the GoldBod CEO, Sammy Gyamfi, to prevent unauthorized actions and ensure full accountability.
Incentivizing Public Cooperation: The 10% Whistleblower Reward
In a bid to harness citizen participation, the government has introduced a whistleblower reward system tied directly to enforcement outcomes. Individuals who provide credible information leading to the seizure of smuggled gold or cash will receive 10% of the value of what is recovered.
“This reward system empowers citizens to be part of the solution. Together, we will dismantle illegal networks, one lead at a time,” said CEO Sammy Gyamfi.
Reports can be submitted anonymously through a dedicated hotline and online portal, which will be launched by the end of July 2025.
Tackling Ghana’s Revenue Leakage from the Gold Sector
The launch of the GoldBod Taskforce comes at a crucial time. Ghana, one of Africa’s largest gold producers, has seen massive losses due to illicit mining and gold smuggling operations.
According to government data, the discrepancy in official gold export figures has resulted in the state missing out on an estimated $11.4 billion in revenue, funds that could have supported public services, job creation, and national development.
By plugging these revenue leakages, the task force is expected to bolster economic recovery, enhance investor confidence, and help reposition Ghana as a transparent and responsible mining hub.
A New Era in Resource Governance
The Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 created GoldBod not only as a regulatory body but also as an enforcement authority to sanitize Ghana’s gold sector. The GoldBod Taskforce will serve as the arm of enforcement under this law.
President Mahama affirmed that the task force is part of his broader economic transformation agenda, which includes reforming natural resource governance, cracking down on corruption, and promoting fair resource distribution.
“This is about economic justice,” he said. “For too long, the benefits of our gold have gone to a few, smugglers, foreign agents, and corrupt officials. That ends now.”
