Organization representing Ghana's large-scale and small-scale mining companies, providing industry forecasts and policy advocacy on mining sector matters.
… Kenneth Ashigbey from the Ghana Chamber of Mines strongly opposes the blunt calls for nationalization and will bring the industry perspective – investor confidence, competitiveness, and what resource nationalism actually means for mining operations on the ground. …
… He also acknowledged support from AngloGold Ashanti and the Ghana Chamber of Mines for scholarships, research grants, and infrastructure development on campus. …
The Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) has urged the government not to heed to the calls by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for it to terminate the mine lease of Gold Fields Ghana’s Tarkwa Mine, warning that such a move could weaken investor confidence and destabilise the count …
… A detailed analysis of the financial flows from the Ghana Chamber of Mines reveals that Ghana benefits maximally, over 70%, through a combination of direct and indirect channels. …
… Ghana, Africa’s top gold producer, launched its bullion purchase programme in 2022, later securing an agreement with miners through the Ghana Chamber of Mines to supply 20% of annual output to the central bank. …
… While civil groups including the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)and some individuals have urged government not to renew the lease, the Ghana Chamber of Mines has cautioned that any move to deny renewal could undermine investor confidence in Ghana’s mining sector. …
By Kizito CUDJOE The Ghana Chamber of Mines has strongly defended Gold Fields’ bid to extend its Tarkwa mining lease, accusing the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) of advancing “material factual inaccuracies” and policy proposals that could undermine investor confidence and de …
… ion,” he concluded, “but under the current framework, if we are able to personalise all the local content within the fiscal regime, we will be making a lot more progress than what we have now.” The discussion also featured the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines …
The Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Engineer Kenneth Ashigbey, has said Ghana should expand local participation in the mining sector, but cautioned against abrupt policy shifts that could undermine investor confidence and legal stability. …
… The proposal has, however, been strongly opposed by the Ghana Chamber of Mines, which argues that Ghana should instead focus on strengthening regulation, transparency, and investor confidence in the sector.
An opinion piece proposes reforms to Ghana's mining sector, including decentralizing mining licenses to district level with chiefs' involvement, introducing a mobile licensing regime to formalize more miners, and redistributing mining revenue with 18% for mining communities and 70% for national development.
Why it matters
Mining sector governance and anti-illegal mining reforms are critical to Ghana's economic sustainability and local communities' welfare.
An opinion piece proposes reforms to Ghana's mining sector, including decentralizing mining licenses to district level with chiefs' involvement, introducing a mobile licensing regime to formalize more miners, and redistributing mining revenue with 18% for mining communities and 70% for national development.
The Ghana Gold Board has reached an agreement with the Ghana Chamber of Mines to purchase 30 per cent of gold output from large-scale mining companies, effective July 1, 2026, at a discount rate of 0.55 per cent, in an effort to strengthen gold reserve accumulation and local value addition. All transactions will be in Ghana cedis, with doré gold to be refined locally and shipped to an LBMA-certified refinery before delivery to the Bank of Ghana.
Government has agreed with large-scale mining companies to purchase 30% of their gold output starting July 1 to boost foreign currency reserves and develop local refining capacity. Gold will be sold to state entity GoldBod in dore form at a 0.55% discount to the central bank's reference rate and settled in Ghanaian cedis.
The Ghana Gold Board has agreed with the Ghana Chamber of Mines to purchase 30 per cent of all large-scale mining companies' gold output, effective July 1, 2026, at a 0.55 per cent discount. The gold will be refined locally and held as part of Ghana's reserve holdings, supporting efforts toward London Bullion Market Association accreditation and the Ghana Accelerated National Reserve Accumulation Programme.
In March 2026, Ghana replaced its flat 5% gold royalty with a sliding scale of 5–12% and cut the Growth & Sustainability Levy from 3% to 1% of gross revenue. The combined effect represents a significant increase in fiscal burden on miners, with potential implications for investment patterns, mine life, and government revenue.
Angela List, Founder and CEO of Nguvu Mining Limited, has been elected First Vice President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines at the organisation's Annual General Meeting in Accra. List, who brings 25 years of mining industry experience, will support the Chamber's President in shaping policy and advocating sustainable mining practices.
Angela List, founder and CEO of Nguvu Mining Limited, has been elected First Vice President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines at its annual general meeting in Accra. List pledged to draw on her 25 years of mining industry experience to help maximise the country's mineral wealth and promote greater female participation in the sector.
Ghana's mining industry is projected to record higher mineral output in 2026, with large-scale gold production expected between 3.2 and 3.4 million ounces and small-scale miners forecast to produce between 2.9 and 3.5 million ounces, pending policy certainty and regulatory reforms. The Ghana Chamber of Mines noted that the sector remains a strong economic pillar, with attributable gold production rising 23.41 per cent to 5.94 million ounces in 2025, largely driven by small-scale mining's 63.82 per cent surge.
Ing. Frederick Attakumah, Executive Vice President of Asante Gold Corporation, has been elected President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines at its 98th Annual General Meeting. He pledged to increase gold production, deepen local value creation, and strengthen sustainable mining practices through stakeholder collaboration.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines forecasts 2026 gold production of between 6.1 and 6.9 million ounces, with large-scale output projected at 3.2–3.4 million ounces and small-scale at 2.9–3.5 million ounces. Small-scale mining output overtook large-scale producers for the first time in more than a century in 2025, when attributable gold output increased 23.41 percent to 5.94 million ounces.
Ghana's large-scale mining sector contributed more than GH¢22.22 billion to the economy in 2025 despite global challenges including geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions. The sector supported 13,819 direct jobs, spent about US$4.2 billion on local procurement, and invested US$88.6 million in community development initiatives.
Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development told the 2026 West African Mining and Power Expo in Accra that Africa should move from exporting unprocessed minerals to developing local processing and manufacturing industries to create jobs and retain wealth, arguing the continent risks missing economic benefits from the global energy transition if it remains primarily an exporter of raw resources.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources announced that the government is implementing regulatory reforms to accelerate mining sector growth and strengthen Ghana's position in West Africa. The review of the Minerals and Mining Act and National Mining Policy is at an advanced stage and will soon be submitted to Parliament, with reforms aimed at improving regulatory efficiency, enhancing environmental protection, and increasing community participation.
Ghana's Minister for Lands and Natural Resources said the government will subject mining concession renewals to stricter scrutiny, requiring companies to meet higher standards of compliance with environmental, regulatory and community development obligations before approvals are granted.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines reports that the artisanal and small-scale mining sector accounted for about 52% of Ghana's gold output in 2025 but contributes less than 2% of the sector's tax revenue. Chamber officials attributed the low tax contribution to the sector's largely informal operations and called for stronger measures to bring more ASM operators into the formal economy.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines reports that the artisanal and small-scale mining sector accounted for about 52% of Ghana's gold output in 2025, but contributes less than 2% of the sector's tax revenue to the state. The Chamber attributes the low tax contribution to the sector's largely informal operations and calls for stronger measures to formalize ASM operators and improve revenue collection.
The government will submit the Damang Gold Mine lease agreement to parliament for ratification following its takeover by Engineers and Planners after Gold Fields' lease expired. The Lands and Natural Resources Minister said suspending operations pending ratification was not viable given the thousands of jobs and economic activities linked to the mine.
Ken Ashigbey, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has urged government to guarantee security of tenure for mining companies, arguing that certainty in mining rights and agreements is essential for attracting investor billions needed for expansion, cleaner technologies, and community development.
Heath Goldfields Limited, a wholly Ghanaian mining company, has unveiled a $20 million five-year Community Development Plan for the Bogoso-Prestea mining enclave in the Western Region, focusing on education, healthcare, infrastructure, skills development and local job creation through projects including a nursing training college in Prestea, a Technical and Vocational Training Centre at Beppoh, healthcare facilities, and infrastructure improvements.
Heath Goldfields Limited, a wholly Ghanaian-owned company, has launched a US$20 million five-year community development plan for the Bogoso-Prestea enclave covering education, healthcare, infrastructure, skills development and local job creation, with projects including a nursing training college, UMaT campus, technical vocational centre, school blocks, health clinics and community infrastructure improvements.
Joy Business is hosting a national roundtable discussion titled "To Nationalise or Transform? Rethinking Ghana's Approach to Mining, Oil and Critical Minerals" to examine whether greater Ghanaian ownership of the extractive sector is sufficient for national benefit, or if deeper reforms in governance, financing, and accountability are needed.
The University of Mines and Technology has held its 2026 Mini Congregation Ceremony in Tarkwa, graduating 95 students and committing to train 1,000 coders this academic year in support of the government's digitalisation agenda. The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has donated 200 laptops and provided 2,000 slots for students and staff to obtain Google certifications.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines has urged the government to reject calls by the Institute of Economic Affairs to terminate Gold Fields Ghana's Tarkwa Mine lease, warning that doing so could weaken investor confidence and destabilise the mining sector. The chamber's CEO said Ghana's gold production increased from about 216,000 ounces in 1983 to nearly three million ounces in 2025, and that the government captures more than 60 per cent of mining rents through taxes, royalties, and dividends.
An opinion piece argues that the Institute of Economic Affairs' call for Ghana to deny Gold Fields' mining lease renewal in favour of local ownership overlooks the company's consistent tax and environmental compliance and Ghana's need to maintain investment-friendly frameworks for attracting foreign capital.
Ghana's government has asked large-scale gold miners to sell 30% of annual output to the central bank to boost foreign reserves, up from the previous 20% agreement, though commercial terms remain unresolved. The revamped programme aims to reach 157 tons of gold reserves by 2028 to improve the cedi and rebuild external buffers.
The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has rejected allegations that it has failed to undertake meaningful corporate social responsibility projects in host communities around Tarkwa, describing the claims as inaccurate. The denial comes amid public debate over renewal of the Tarkwa mine lease, which expires in April 2027.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines has defended Gold Fields' application to extend its Tarkwa mining lease, accusing the Institute of Economic Affairs of advancing "material factual inaccuracies" and warning that rejecting the renewal could weaken investor confidence and Ghana's competitive standing in mining.
Economist Prof. Godfred Bokpin has cautioned Ghana against pursuing aggressive indigenisation or nationalisation of the mining sector, arguing that while the country has grounds to revisit mining lease agreements, policymakers must avoid emotionally driven decisions that could undermine investor confidence. His remarks follow calls by the Institute of Economic Affairs for Ghana to take greater control of its natural resources, including not renewing Gold Fields' Damang Mine lease.
Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, supports greater Ghanaian participation in mining but warns against abrupt policy shifts that could damage investor confidence and legal stability. He argues policy changes must be guided by data, history, and legal predictability rather than ideological calls, and notes Ghanaian involvement in the sector has already increased significantly.
Professor Godfred Alufar Bokpin has urged policymakers not to dismiss proposals by the Institute of Economic Affairs calling for greater state control over mining assets, arguing that Ghana has not fully benefited from its natural resources and should reassess its fiscal regime and mining agreements as leases near expiration.