CAGG Petitions Attorney-General to Probe Sammy Gyamfi Over Alleged Galamsey Remarks

• A prominent anti-galamsey coalition has formally petitioned Ghana's Attorney-General over comments attributed to GoldBod's CEO
• The coalition is demanding both a public retraction and an apology from Sammy Gyamfi over the alleged statements
• GoldBod has pushed back against the accusations, claiming the circulating video of Gyamfi's remarks was selectively edited

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Ghana's fight against illegal mining has taken a new turn after the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (CAGG) formally petitioned the Attorney-General to investigate Sammy Gyamfi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), over remarks that have stirred controversy across the country.

The coalition alleges that comments attributed to Sammy Gyamfi suggested artisanal miners could, under certain conditions, operate without obtaining the required licences.

CAGG petitions Attorney General

CAGG argues that such a position, if accurately conveyed, poses a serious threat to the legal frameworks underpinning Ghana's efforts to curb galamsey.

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Central to the coalition's concerns is the question of where mining activities take place.

CAGG maintains that the obligation to hold a valid mining licence applies regardless of whether operations occur within forest reserves, near water bodies or elsewhere.

The group is urging the Attorney-General to assess whether Gyamfi's alleged comments could legally be construed as encouraging or facilitating unlicensed mining.

Beyond calling for a formal investigation, CAGG is pressing Gyamfi to publicly retract the statements and issue an apology, warning that public officials carry a particular responsibility when speaking on matters as sensitive as galamsey.

GoldBod rejects Sammy Gyamfi's claim

GoldBod, however, has firmly rejected the characterisation of its CEO's words.

The institution contends that the video circulating online presents a distorted picture of what was said, describing it as selectively edited.

GoldBod's position is that the government's broader ambition is to integrate eligible informal miners into a properly licensed and regulated system, rather than to sanction unlawful activity.

The disagreement has sharpened public debate around a distinction that has long complicated Ghana's anti-galamsey agenda: the difference between formalising artisanal mining practices and permitting mining without lawful authorisation.

Illegal mining continues to inflict severe damage on Ghana's environment, with rivers, forest reserves and farmlands bearing the consequences of years of largely unchecked activity.

Civil society organisations and successive administrations have repeatedly called for stronger regulatory enforcement to protect the country's natural resources.

CAGG's petition does not, by itself, amount to proof that Gyamfi committed any offence.

The Attorney-General's decision on whether to open a formal investigation will be the next significant development in this unfolding matter.

Minority calls for Sammy Gyamfi's dismissal

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on the Minority Caucus’s seven demands to President John Mahama, including its call to remove GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi over his alleged comments on small-scale mining.

The controversy centres on a viral video that the caucus says could be read as permitting operators to mine without licences in areas beyond forest reserves, water bodies and roadsides.

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Source: YEN.com.gh