The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has announced its first wave of enforcement actions under the recently passed Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), drawing a firm line between offenders arrested before and after the law took effect on April 30.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, May 14, GoldBod spokesperson Prince Minkah revealed that six foreign nationals, apprehended in two separate operations in the Ashanti Region and Anyinam, will face different legal outcomes based on the timing of their arrests.
The first group, consisting of three Indian nationals arrested before the April 30 deadline, will be deported, according to Minkah.
“They will be repatriated to their home country to reunite with their families,” he said, noting that these suspects, while involved in unauthorized gold trading, do not fall under the harsher penalties of Act 1140, which exclusively regulates gold trade in Ghana.
However, the second set of suspects, caught after the new legislation took effect, will be prosecuted. These individuals, also foreign nationals, were detained with significant amounts of cash in U.S. dollars and specialized gold counting machines, all of which have been seized as evidence.
“If you’re a foreigner and caught trading gold illegally, you will face the full force of the law,” Minkah warned, emphasizing that the new regulations have closed the loopholes that previously allowed foreigners to operate in Ghana’s gold sector.
Passed earlier this year, the Ghana Gold Board Act was designed to curb illegal gold exports, tighten oversight of the mineral trade, and ensure that revenues from Ghana’s vast gold resources benefit the local economy. The law granted a brief transition period for foreign operators to exit the domestic market, a window that has now closed.
Minkah assured the public that GoldBod, in collaboration with security agencies, will intensify its surveillance efforts to prevent further breaches.
“The rules are clear. Foreigners can no longer operate in our local gold trade. There will be no excuses moving forward,” he stressed.
The crackdown comes as Ghana seeks to boost transparency in its mining sector, reduce financial leakages, and position itself as a key player in the global gold market.
