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ACCRA — Ghana has signed a strategic agreement with the World Gold Council to formalize its artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector, aiming to curb illicit financial flows, improve supply chain transparency, and bring informal miners into the official financial system.
Under a memorandum of understanding signed through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the West African nation plans to establish a national network of certified processing facilities. The initiative is designed to provide small-scale miners with the infrastructure and economic incentives needed to channel their gold through legal, traceable routes.
As part of the initial phase, the World Gold Council is committing a $250,000 development grant to fund cooperative registrations under Ghana’s responsible cooperative mining and skills development program (rCOMSDEP).
The collaboration comes as major bullion hubs and international regulators heighten scrutiny over informal supply chains to combat illegal trade, money laundering, and environmental degradation. Artisanal and small-scale mining accounts for a significant share of global gold production but frequently operates outside formal oversight.
The partnership will focus on policy and regulatory standards, capacity building, origin-verification and traceability technology, and educational initiatives within local mining communities.
“This partnership reflects Ghana’s clear commitment to transforming artisanal and small-scale gold mining into a responsible, well-regulated, and economically empowering sector,” said Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. “By working with the World Gold Council, we are strengthening our efforts to improve formalization, eliminate harmful practices, and ensure the benefits of Ghana’s gold resources are realized by our communities.”
By bringing small-scale operations under formal governance, Ghana seeks to improve environmental protections, safeguard market integrity, and boost national tax revenues from its gold reserves.
“Ghana is a global leader in gold production and has demonstrated real ambition in tackling the challenges and opportunities of artisanal mining,” said David Tait, Chief Executive Officer of the World Gold Council. “This MoU brings together government leadership, international standards, and industry expertise to help build a trusted, transparent, and responsible ASGM value chain.”
