The Spokesperson for Ghana's Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, has assured that the Ministry's relationship with the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) remains "perfectly strong." This statement comes after reports emerged that Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah had resigned from the GoldBod Board due to disagreements. Schandorf described these claims as "false," stating that the Minister only requested that the Ministry's Chief Director represent him on the GoldBod Board due to his demanding schedule.
According to Schandorf, the Minister's decision was not a result of any disagreement, conflict, or dissatisfaction with GoldBod. The Ministry had earlier issued a statement dismissing reports of the Minister's resignation from the GoldBod Board. The statement, signed by Zambaga Rufai Saminu from the Communications Directorate at the Ministry, emphasized that Armah-Kofi Buah had neither resigned nor had any disagreements with GoldBod.
The Ministry explained that although Minister Armah-Kofi Buah initially served personally on the GoldBod Board, he nominated the Chief Director of the Ministry, Marcus Haligah, to represent him in January 2026. This decision was made due to the Minister's demanding schedule and extensive responsibilities across two ministries, making it difficult for him to attend all GoldBod board meetings and engagements personally.
GoldBod's recent clarification confirmed that the Minister initially served on the Board personally but later nominated the Chief Director due to his inability to regularly attend meetings. The Ministry urged the public and media organizations to disregard reports linking the Minister's decision to any disagreement, conflict, or dissatisfaction with GoldBod.
The Ministry highlighted ongoing collaboration between its agencies and GoldBod, including an agreement between the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) and GoldBod to intensify mineral exploration. Additionally, the Responsible Cooperative Mining (rCOMSDEP) programme is working with GoldBod on responsible mining, while the Forestry Commission is collaborating with the institution on land reclamation.
GoldBod has also supported the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAIMOS) with vehicles as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration in the mining sector. Minister Armah-Kofi Buah remains committed to the government's agenda of strengthening Ghana's gold sector, increasing local value retention, promoting responsible mining, and ensuring that the country's mineral resources contribute meaningfully to national development.
The Ministry urged the public and media to rely on official communications from the Lands Ministry and GoldBod on matters concerning the governance and operations of the institution. This move aims to ensure that accurate information is disseminated, and the public is informed about the actual state of affairs between the Ministry and GoldBod.
Key points
- The relationship between Ghana's Lands Ministry and GoldBod remains strong despite reports of Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah's resignation.
- The Minister's decision to nominate the Chief Director to represent him on the GoldBod Board was due to his demanding schedule, not disagreements.
- The Ministry and GoldBod are collaborating on various initiatives, including mineral exploration, responsible mining, and land reclamation.
