The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, says reforms introduced by the board have generated 4,866 direct jobs in less than two years, highlighting the employment potential of Ghana’s gold sector.

The jobs comprise 361 public-sector positions and 4,505 private-sector jobs, while additional opportunities are emerging for artisanal gold processors, jewellers and young entrepreneurs across the value chain.

Speaking on Day Two of the Mining in Motion Conference on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Gyamfi said the institutional, licensing and value-addition reforms were intended to strengthen Ghana’s mineral economy by expanding employment, supporting local businesses and promoting domestic value creation.

He argued that African countries must move beyond extracting mineral resources to creating decent jobs and sustainable economic opportunities for their populations.

Gyamfi also emphasised the need to balance mining-led economic growth with environmental protection, warning against approaches that allow mineral exploitation to undermine the environment.

According to him, governments across the continent must place private enterprise and employment creation at the centre of their mining policies to ensure that mineral wealth translates into meaningful improvements in citizens’ livelihoods.

He said the jobs generated under GoldBod’s reforms demonstrated how institutional and regulatory changes could stimulate economic activity and create opportunities for businesses and individuals within the gold industry.

The reforms, he noted, were helping to expand participation across the value chain, particularly in areas such as artisanal gold processing, jewellery production and entrepreneurship.

Gyamfi expressed satisfaction with the employment figures, describing the direct jobs created so far as evidence of the opportunities that could emerge from reforms designed to improve the organisation and development of the gold sector.

“It gives me joy to note that the new institutional, licensing, and value addition reforms that we have introduced at the GoldBod have, in less than two years, created 4,866 direct jobs, made up of 361 public-sector jobs and 4505 private-sector jobs, while countless indirect job opportunities are being opened across the value chain for artisanal smelters, jewellers and young entrepreneurs”, he said.

His comments underscore the broader policy objective of ensuring that Ghana’s mineral resources support employment, strengthen local enterprise and contribute to sustainable economic growth.

For African economies, he maintained, the challenge is to ensure that the benefits of mining extend beyond resource extraction to include jobs, business development and environmental responsibility.