Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, has warned the newly inaugurated GoldBod Taskforce against unprofessionalism in executing their duties.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, July 8, Mr Gyamfi pledged to sanction individuals who may abuse their authority, stressing that the task force must operate within the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.

According to him, the office has been equipped with the necessary resources to ensure a smooth and effective execution of the task force’s mandate.

“Let me say that I have firm instructions to hold you to the highest standards of ethical conduct and accountability. We will protect those of you committed to doing your job, but we will deal ruthlessly with any member who brings the name of the government or the nation into disrepute.

“With the support of the president, we’ve provided the necessary orientation, training, logistics, and resources for the task force to operate effectively and fearlessly. We expect nothing but professionalism and patriotism from them,” he added.

Smuggling of gold has an adverse impact on the country’s economy. Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has noted that Ghana lost an estimated $1.2 billion in gold revenue in 2022 due to illegal smuggling.

In March this year, the sector minister, while addressing stakeholders after a meeting with officials from the UK-Ghana Gold Programme, outlined the government’s renewed efforts to curb gold smuggling and ensure Ghana benefits fully from its mineral wealth.

Goldbod will oversee the gold sector, tackle illegal trade, and promote responsible sourcing in line with global standards such as the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) certification.

In April, GoldBod security taskforce arrested three Indian nationals suspected of engaging in illicit gold trade in a targeted operation in Kumasi.

The suspects; Goutam Katriya (35), Miraj Sarvaych (22), and Manash Damani (42), were nabbed at a private residence around Atinga Junction that had been converted into an unauthorised gold trading hub.

An amount of 1.9 million cedis, 4,500 rupees, 4.363 kilograms of gold, two counting machines, a CCTV recorder, and an Indian passport were found in the possession of the suspects.

The suspects had no valid licenses to grade gold within the country and could not produce any residence or work permits, nor any tax documentation related to their operations, according to preliminary findings.

Meanwhile, these suspects are set to be repatriated, according to GoldBod.