The daunting task of pretending to be fighting galamsey or illegal mining by those who made it look very simple when they were not in power continues.
So far their actions on the public space has exposed the fact that they did not mean it when they told Ghanaians that they have the wherewithal or will to stop it immediately they assume the reins of power.
Those who have followed what today stands arguably as the gravest ado for Ghanaians are unable to come to terms with Sammy Gyamfi’s, Goldbod’s CEO, claim that the outfit he heads does not source gold from illegal miners or galamseyers.
It is an interesting topic in simple logic…60 percent or so of Ghana’s gold exports is sourced from small scale miners 85 percent of who are illegal miners or galamsayers.
To paint a different picture from the reality that Goldbod sources galamsey gold in a bid to make it look like the precious metal the company buys are clean is a futile attempt at throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians.
Where else do the gold from the illegal miners end up before being exported? Of course the Goldbod.
The role of Goldbod in fueling illegal mining in the country cannot be suppressed under the prevailing circumstances.
It is a known fact that the licensed gold buyers source their input from galamseyers, precious metal which are in turn sold to the Goldbod…it is therefore unconvincing to claim that the gold in the vaults originate from sources other than illegal miners.
Since nobody is allowed by law to buy gold other than Goldbod and licensed buyers it sounds challenging to determine how the illegal miners dispose of the precious metal they mine…the gold they lay hands on end up in the vault of the Goldbod.
Sammy Gyamfi might have to conjure another argument to support his weak conclusion.
A viral video originating from illegal miners has a galamsayer demanding an appreciation in the price of gold from government which is of course Goldbod. His point is that gold is used to stabilize the Cedi and so they who do the dirty work of mining it should get a better deal. Interestingly he and his colleagues have threatened a strike action should their demand not be met. What else do we need to prove that Goldbod sources gold directly or indirectly from illegal miners?
After all the President told his compatriots that better to have citizens dig for gold regardless of the drawbacks than foreigners do so and repatriate the proceeds beyond our borders.
It will be recalled also that while in opposition he pointed at the two consequences of stopping galamsey.
It will create unemployment and secondly which is why we think that the government which he now heads is not sincere about stopping galamsey. According to him stopping galamsey will affect the gold stock and this what has a correlation to the sourcing of the precious metal from illegal miners the negative effects of the occupation notwithstanding.
