Ghana's president inaugurates a special task force to tackle illegal gold mining

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana's president launched a special task force on Tuesday to combat rampant illegal gold mining and smuggling that has long plagued the West African nation.

The chronic challenge of illegal gold mining — known locally as “galamsey” — was a major issue during Ghana’s presidential election campaign last year and a source of concern for voters, triggering protests and criticism against the outgoing government.

Ghana's President John Mahama inaugurated the GOLDBOD Task Force, saying its creation “signals our readiness to act decisively.”

The task force — comprised of officers from various security agencies and the military — is empowered to arrest and detain suspects. It follows the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board agency in January as the sole legal entity managing all transactions and exports of gold mined in the country by small mining companies.

Mahama said that along with the agency, the task force will strive to curb the proliferation of illegal miners and “dismantle the black-market economy surrounding gold.”

He touted what he described as the rebound of the cedi, Ghana's currency, which has had a poor track record against the dollar, as a result of setting up the Ghana Gold Board.

The illegal gold mining industry has resulted in significant economic losses and environmental degradation for Ghana, Africa's largest gold-producing country. It has flourished as a result of a massive slump in Ghana's economic fortunes as millions of young people struggle to find jobs.

Huge protests broke out across the country against illegal gold mining after many rivers were polluted, becoming a political hot-button issue in the election. Mahama, who won the election, promised in his campaign to clamp down on the practice.

“Let this serve as a warning to all those involved in gold smuggling and illegal trade: the law will be enforced without fear or favor,” he said Tuesday.

Mahama emphasized how the task force members would wear body cameras, which allows for accountability and monitoring of their actions in real time. However, many analysts say past attempts to curb illegal gold mining have not produced tangible results.

“The task force can help," Festus Aboagye, an Accra-based security analyst, told The Associated Press. But "the challenge, as usual, is not regulation but enforcement.”

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Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria.