World Gold Council Signs Memorandum with Ghana Government to Regulate Artisanal Gold Mining

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The World Gold Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Ghana to strengthen the regulation of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), enhance supply chain integrity, and combat illegal financial and gold flows.

Through an agreement with Ghana's Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the parties plan to establish a national network of responsible gold processing facilities, encouraging artisanal miners to supply gold through formal channels. The collaboration covers policy and standard development, capacity building, traceability and origin verification technologies, as well as training and educational activities for artisanal mining communities.

As the first step of the partnership, the World Gold Council has committed a development grant of $250,000 to support cooperative registration under Ghana's Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP). Both parties stated that the MoU aims to promote responsible ASGM development, strengthen environmental protection, improve community well-being, and enhance the integrity of the gold market.

Ghana's Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, stated that this partnership will support the country's efforts to transform the ASGM sector into a responsible, well-regulated, and economically empowering industry. He said that by collaborating with the World Gold Council, Ghana is strengthening its efforts to formalize ASGM, eliminate harmful practices, and ensure that gold resources benefit communities and the nation as a whole.

David Tait, Chief Executive Officer of the World Gold Council, stated that Ghana has demonstrated leadership in addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with artisanal and small-scale mining. He described the MoU as a powerful platform for collaboration, combining government leadership, international standards, and industry expertise to help build a trustworthy, transparent, and responsible ASGM value chain.