Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has disclosed that the country’s economy suffered a significant blow in 2022 due to the illegal smuggling of gold, one of its most valuable natural resources.

In a post on X, Dr. Forson revealed that around 60 tonnes of gold, valued at approximately $1.2 billion, were illicitly exported from the country amid an economic crisis. He underscored the devastating impact this smuggling has had on the nation’s financial stability, raising questions about what the economic outcome might have been if that gold had remained within Ghana’s borders.

“Imagine the impact if that wealth had stayed in our economy!” Dr. Forson wrote, emphasizing the urgent need to address illegal mining and smuggling, which have long drained the country of critical revenue.

To combat this issue, Dr. Forson announced a partnership with officials from the UK-Ghana Gold Programme, an initiative aimed at disrupting the ties between illegal artisanal mining and organized crime. The program seeks to ensure Ghana fully benefits from its gold resources while curbing the damaging illicit trade that has hindered the nation’s economic progress.

Source:TheDotNews