President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday unveiled a national task force aimed at cracking down on illegal gold trading, pledging rigorous oversight and enhanced accountability as the government moves to protect one of the country’s most valuable natural resources.

Speaking at a launch ceremony in Accra, President Mahama introduced the GoldBod Taskforce, a new enforcement unit that will begin operations in the coming weeks. The task force is designed to combat illegal small-scale mining—locally known as galamsey—which has contributed to widespread environmental degradation and the loss of government revenue.

“All operations will be conducted under strict oversight,” Mr. Mahama said. “Every officer will wear a body camera, and all task force vehicles will be GPS tracked in real time.”

In a bid to curb arbitrary enforcement and bolster public trust, the president also mandated that all field deployments be approved in advance through written authorization from the task force’s CEO.

The GoldBod initiative reflects a growing concern among government officials and environmental advocates about the impact of unregulated gold mining, which has polluted rivers, destroyed forested areas, and undermined formal mining revenues.

The administration hopes the task force will help close enforcement gaps while improving transparency in Ghana’s multibillion-dollar gold sector. Ghana is Africa’s largest gold producer, but illegal mining continues to undercut formal operators and strain regulatory agencies.

“The aim is to recover lost mineral revenue and ensure that Ghanaians see the full benefit of their natural resources,” Mr. Mahama said.

The GoldBod Taskforce is expected to begin field work in the coming weeks.

Source:TheDotNews