
President John Mahama has announced on July 8 that Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, under the oversight of the newly operational Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD), has generated a record-breaking $5 billion in export value so far in 2025.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Gold Board Security Task Force, the President disclosed that the sector exported 51.5 tonnes of gold, eclipsing large-scale mining exports for the first time in the nation’s history. He noted that by May alone, GOLDBOD had facilitated the export of 11 tonnes of gold worth $1.1 billion, representing a 95% increase from the same period in 2024.
President Mahama emphasised that these gains underscore the importance of formalising the ASM sector, which he described as a “powerful ally of development.” The increased export earnings have significantly bolstered Ghana’s foreign reserves, improved its balance of payments, and contributed to the stabilisation of the national currency, the Cedi. The establishment of GOLDBOD and its Security Task Force forms a cornerstone of the government’s broader economic transformation agenda, aimed at enhancing transparency, value retention, and sustainability across the gold mining value chain.