President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the GoldBod Taskforce, a new anti-gold smuggling unit, and announced a 10% reward for individuals who provide credible information leading to the recovery of illegal gold or its monetary equivalent.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, July 8, at the National Security Secretariat in Accra, President Mahama emphasized the government’s firm resolve to combat gold smuggling and corruption in Ghana’s mining sector.
“We have established whistleblower channels, and anyone who offers verifiable intelligence that leads to a recovery will receive 10% of the seized gold or its cash equivalent,” he stated. “So to all potential whistleblowers: if you help us recover assets, you get a tenth.”
The president described the formation of the taskforce as a decisive measure to protect Ghana’s mineral wealth and enhance transparency within the extractive industry. The GoldBod Taskforce is composed of operatives from the National Security, the Ghana Armed Forces, and other key security institutions.
He noted that taskforce members have undergone intensive training, thorough background checks, and polygraph testing. They have also been educated on the Minerals and Mining Act, 2016 (Act 703, as amended), participated in team-building activities, and received anti-corruption training to promote ethical conduct and professionalism.
To ensure accountability, President Mahama revealed that all officers will wear body cameras during operations, and taskforce vehicles will be equipped with GPS trackers for real-time monitoring.
Additionally, he made it clear that strict protocols will govern all field operations. “No taskforce member will conduct any fieldwork without prior written authorization from the CEO. This is non-negotiable,” he stressed.
The initiative marks a significant step in Mahama’s broader efforts to tighten regulation in the mining sector and eliminate the networks enabling gold smuggling.
