Ghana has launched its first anti gold-smuggling initiative.

The West African country has set up a taskforce, backed by the military and police, to clamp down on illegal trade of the precious metal, reports Reuters

It was reported earlier this year that Ghana, which has overtaken South Africa as the biggest gold producer on the continent, was losing up to US$11 billion in revenue to the illegal gold trade, largely stemming from its artisanal mining sector.

The introduction of the taskforce follows the launch earlier this year of Ghana’s new gold board, called the GoldBod, to centralise gold trading and streamline purchases from the informal sector.

Speaking at the launch of the new taskforce, President John Dramani Mahama said the introduction of the GoldBod had led to record official exports of 55.7 tons of gold valued at $5 billion in the first five months of 2025.

Informants to the task force are being promised 10% of the value of the gold seized as a result of their tip-offs.

Ghana is also planning to implement a national gold traceability system and to transition to refined gold exports by 2026.

15 July 2025
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