Michael Kwadwo Peprah
The Concerned Small Scale Miners Association says it’s making progress toward meeting the June 21 deadline set by the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) for compliance with the new gold trading license regime.
After requesting an extension due to documentation delays, GoldBod granted a final grace period ending June 21, with no further extensions allowed.
Association President Michael Kwadwo Peprah told Citi News that the situation has improved significantly.
“Initially, we had challenges with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The process to acquire a certificate used to take over a week, which made it difficult to meet the timeline. But now, additional offices have been established, including at the district level, to support the existing EPA structures. As a result, obtaining clearances for gold trading licenses has become much smoother,” he said.
He noted that the GoldBod licensing process is now being prioritised by the relevant state institutions, accelerating the regularisation of small-scale miners across the country.
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) early served notice that all gold dealer licences previously issued by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) or the Minister responsible for Mines—excluding those granted to large-scale mining companies—are no longer valid.
The statement reminded all that GoldBod has officially been established as the sole entity responsible for the purchase, sale, assaying, and export of all gold produced by the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector in Ghana.
It further stated that Ghanaians or wholly Ghanaian-owned entities whose licences have expired, or who wish to enter the gold trade legally, are advised to apply for new licences under the Ghana Gold Board Act beginning Tuesday, 22nd April 2025.
Following the announcement, the Small Scale Miners Association, Ghana, appealed to the Ghana Goldbod for an extension of the deadline for submitting application documents for the Gold Buyer License.
In a letter addressed to Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Goldbod, Sammy Gyamfi, the association requested that the deadline – originally set to close on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 – be extended by one additional month which was granted.
According to the association, many of its members have faced significant challenges compiling the required documentation within the stipulated timeframe. These include Tax Clearance Certificates, Business Operating Permits, Environmental Protection Permits, SSNIT Clearance Certificates, GRA Certificates, police reports, and other regulatory documents.
A Business Desk Report