The acting Managing Director of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), Sammy Gyamfi, has revealed that the proposed GoldBod Bill will grant appointed inspectors special powers to tackle illegal gold smuggling once it is enacted.
In an interview, Gyamfi acknowledged that Ghana has long struggled to enforce anti-smuggling laws due to the absence of a dedicated agency to spearhead the fight against illegal gold trade.
According to him, Ghana is failing to enforce gold smuggling laws effectively and lacks a specialized institution dedicated to addressing the issue.
“We’ve left it to the normal security agencies. But now you’re going to see in this bill, special powers given to the GoldBod, such as the right to appoint GoldBod inspectors,” he said.
He explained that under the new law, GoldBod inspectors will have the same authority as police officers, empowering them to conduct searches, demand documentation, seize illegally traded gold, and prosecute offenders.
“If they have cause to believe that you are engaged in illegal gold trading or smuggling, they can seize your gold, they can impound, they can confiscate, they can go to court for such warrants by themselves,” he added.
Gyamfi further highlighted that the initiative will introduce a special task force working in collaboration with national security, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Defence to strengthen enforcement efforts.
“This is going to be special… Let the bill be passed and let the President assent to it. You can’t totally eliminate them, but for the first time, you will see gold smugglers being arrested, their gold seized, and them being taken to court to be prosecuted and convicted,” he emphasized.
The GoldBod Bill, once enacted, is expected to significantly tighten oversight in Ghana’s gold trade, ensuring greater accountability and curbing the rampant smuggling that has plagued the sector for years.
