Formalising unlicensed miners not endorsement of galamsey – GNASSM defends Sammy Gyamfi
The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has defended Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi over his comments on formalising unlicensed small-scale miners, insisting that the proposal should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of illegal mining.
The Association’s position follows criticism of Mr Gyamfi over remarks suggesting that unlicensed miners operating outside protected and environmentally sensitive areas could be brought into the formal mining sector.
In a statement issued on Friday, October 23, GNASSM said a video excerpt of his remarks at a joint programme organised by the Association and GoldBod at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on March 23, 2026, had created a misleading impression of his position.
The programme, attended by more than 1,500 mine owners, focused on GNASSM’s proposed District Gold Market concept and measures to formalise Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector.
GNASSM said Mr Gyamfi was explaining the government’s intention to register and regularise eligible unlicensed miners whose operations do not affect water bodies, forest reserves, roads, highways or other restricted areas designated as “red zones”.
“Discussions about bringing eligible operators into a lawful and regulated framework should not be confused with an endorsement of illegal mining,” the statement said.
Mr Gyamfi has also defended his position, arguing that formalising eligible operators would be more effective than pursuing them with security personnel.
He maintained that mining activities that pollute water bodies, take place in forest reserves or are conducted in dangerous locations within communities, including roadsides and school lands, cannot be tolerated.
According to him, eligible miners could be formalised under the government’s Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), which seeks to transform unlicensed operators into licensed and responsible miners through legal documentation, permits, certification and training.
Mr Gyamfi also announced plans to introduce an Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Formalisation and Financing Support Programme (FFSP) in 2027 to support responsible mining, improve environmental protection and strengthen gold traceability.
GNASSM urged media organisations and the public to review the full recording of the GoldBod CEO’s remarks rather than draw conclusions from an isolated excerpt.
The Association also called for a non-partisan approach to tackling illegal mining, warning against allowing political considerations to undermine efforts to protect the country’s water bodies, forests and land resources.
It reaffirmed its support for GoldBod and its commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to implement the FFSP.
GNASSM said formalisation, backed by appropriate financing, responsible mining practices and regulatory oversight, could help curb illegal mining, reduce environmental degradation and promote sustainable economic growth.
