President John Dramani Mahama unveiled a new cash incentive scheme aimed at curbing illegal gold smuggling in Ghana. Announced on July 8, 2025, during the inauguration of the Ghana Gold Board Task Force in Accra, the initiative offers whistleblowers 10% of the value of any recovered gold reported through their efforts.
“If you blow the whistle and gold or money is retrieved, you will get 10 per cent of its value,” President Mahama stated, urging all Ghanaians to actively participate in addressing the rampant smuggling and black market operations impacting the nation’s gold sector.
The newly formed task force operates under Act 1140 and functions within the Ghana Gold Board’s regulatory framework to enhance transparency and integrity in the gold trade. Comprising selected personnel from the military, national security, and other enforcement agencies, all members have undergone rigorous anti-corruption and technical training.
To bolster accountability during enforcement actions, task force officers will be equipped with body-worn cameras, and vehicles assigned to missions will feature GPS tracking systems monitored in real time. Importantly, all operations require a written warrant authorized by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board.
President Mahama also issued a stern warning: any officer found involved in corruption or misconduct will face immediate dismissal, criminal prosecution, and forfeiture of benefits.
These measures respond to serious concerns revealed by a recent audit uncovering a significant 229-metric-ton discrepancy between Ghana’s official gold exports and foreign trade partner records. The discrepancy represents an estimated loss of $11.4 billion over five years, a toll the government is determined to stop.
“These losses cannot continue. We are taking control of our mineral wealth, and this task force is central to enforcing the law,” Mahama emphasized.
Looking forward, the Ghana Gold Board plans to implement a gold traceability system that will track the origin of all gold mined in the country. Additionally, the Board intends to support small-scale miners by providing geological data to optimize mining practices, reduce environmental impact, and aid in rehabilitating degraded mining sites.
President Mahama described the whistleblower program as a national call to action, stressing the importance of citizen involvement to safeguard Ghana’s mineral resources. “This is not just a policy; it’s a national call to duty. Ghanaians must be the first to benefit from the gold beneath our soil,” he concluded.
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