President John Dramani Mahama has hailed the Ghana Gold Board’s (GoldBod) policy to strengthen local gold testing and refining, saying the initiative will help Ghana retain a greater share of the economic value generated from its gold resources.
Speaking at the 2026 Mining in Motion Summit, organised by the African Minerals Policy Centre in Accra, President Mahama emphasised the need for Ghana to move beyond the extraction and export of raw minerals towards greater domestic processing and value addition.
“Through the Ghana Gold Board and our gold refining policy, we are working to retain more value through assaying, refining, and related services,” the President said.
Assaying involves testing gold to determine its purity and quality, while refining processes the metal to meet the required standards.
Strengthening local capacity in these areas is expected to increase domestic participation in the gold value chain, create opportunities for skilled employment and support the growth of related industries.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to ensure that Ghana derives greater economic benefits from its mineral wealth by developing the technical expertise and infrastructure needed to process its resources locally.
President Mahama has also emphasised the importance of reducing dependence on exporting raw materials, arguing that mineral-producing countries must develop the capacity to undertake more processing within their borders.
The government’s approach includes strengthening the legal and policy frameworks governing mineral exports while encouraging investments that support local industrial development.
GoldBod plays a central role in regulating Ghana’s gold-trading industry, particularly transactions involving artisanal and small-scale mining. Expanding domestic testing and refining capacity would complement its regulatory responsibilities and support the development of a more integrated gold industry.
The policy is expected to improve local value addition and create opportunities for businesses and professionals in gold testing, refining and related services.
However, its overall impact will depend on implementation, including the availability of suitable facilities, technical expertise and clear operational requirements.
President Mahama’s remarks underscore the government’s ambition to ensure that more of the wealth generated from Ghana’s mineral resources contributes directly to domestic economic growth, industrial development and employment.
