President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a major initiative aimed at curbing illegal gold trade and corruption within Ghana’s extractive sector, with the official launch of the GoldBod Taskforce on Tuesday, July 8, at the National Security Secretariat in Accra.
As part of the announcement, President Mahama introduced a whistleblower reward scheme, promising 10% of any recovered illegal gold or its cash equivalent to individuals who provide credible information leading to successful seizures.
“Whistleblower channels are in place, and informants are eligible to receive 10% of the seized gold or the cash value,” the President said. “So, whistleblowers, get ready. If you blow the whistle and gold or money is recovered, you will get 10%.”
The move, he said, is part of a broader effort to strengthen accountability, protect Ghana’s natural resources, and clamp down on illegal mining and smuggling activities.
A Specialised Trained Force
The newly established task force, named GoldBod, is composed of personnel drawn from National Security, the Ghana Armed Forces and other key security institutions.
According to President Mahama, all members have undergone comprehensive vetting, polygraph testing and training in anti-corruption, team building and the legal framework governing the mining sector, specifically the Minerals and Mining Act, 2016 (Act 703, as amended by Act 1040).
“The creation of this task force demonstrates our firm resolve to enforce mining regulations and ensure that Ghana’s gold benefits the people—not criminal networks,” Mahama said.
To ensure transparency and accountability, the President announced that all GoldBod officers will be required to wear body cameras during operations, and every vehicle used will be GPS-tracked and monitored in real time.
“No field operation can be undertaken without a written warrant from the CEO,” he cautioned, stressing the need for authorised, lawful conduct at all times.
The GoldBod Taskforce is expected to play a central role in the fight against gold smuggling, helping to plug revenue leakages, uphold the rule of law, and protect the integrity of Ghana’s mining industry.
