A Ghanaian lawyer has filed a Right to Information (RTI) request demanding that the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) disclose details of all small-scale miners who have sold gold to the state agency since its establishment, citing the need for accountability in the management of public mineral resources.
In a letter addressed to the Board and copied to its CEO, Sammy Gyamfi, legal practitioner Eric Dawda requested a complete list of miners and licensed small-scale mining companies that have supplied gold to the agency.
He is also seeking their license numbers, transaction dates, volumes of gold sold, and the regions where they operate.
Verification
Dawda said the information was necessary to verify that “only legal small-scale miners are trading with the Gold Board,” adding that transparency would help prevent unlicensed operators from benefiting from the government’s gold-purchase scheme.
He further asked for policy and operational documents guiding GoldBod’s gold-buying activities, particulars of gold exported by the agency, its financial inflows and outflows, procurement plans, and internal guidelines on how it assays, values, and exports gold.
“Gold is a major contributor to Ghana’s economy. Understanding who supplies the gold and under what policies it is purchased promotes oversight, combats corruption, and ensures the sector is being managed in the best interest of the state,” Dawda wrote.
Under Ghana’s RTI Act, public institutions are required to provide requested information within stipulated timelines unless exempted by law.
Dawda warned that he would “use all legitimate means” to obtain the information if the agency fails to comply.
GoldBod was set up to formalise domestic gold purchasing and boost state control over the small-scale mining value chain, a sector often linked to illicit mining and revenue leakages. The agency has not yet commented on the request.
Below is the Right to Information (RTI) request as submitted by Lawyer Eric Dawda.
Request for Information under section 8 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) and Article 21(1)F of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana
Pursuant to the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), I respectfully request access to information held by the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) relating to its gold purchasing operations. Specifically, I ask the following:
- A list of all small-scale miners or licensed small-scale mining companies that have sold gold to GoldBod since its inception
- For each, where available
- Name of miner or company
- License number
- Date(s) of transaction(s)
- Volume of gold sold
- Location (region/district) of the miner
- Policy and operational documents governing the sale and purchase of gold by GoldBod
- Particulars of Gold exported by Ghana GoldBod since its inception
- Control mechanisms regarding finance and Administration of the Ghana GoldBod
- Inflows and outflows of the Ghana GoldBod since its inception.
- Procurement plan of the Ghana GoldBod
- Any internal or public policy documents, guidelines, operational procedures regarding licensing frameworks, or official directives that outline how GoldBod buys gold from assays, valuers, and exports it.
