The Forum for Responsible Resource Governance has raised strong objections to a planned nationwide land reclamation, rehabilitation and reforestation programme announced by the Ghana Gold Board, arguing that the initiative falls outside the agency’s statutory mandate and could expose the state to financial loss.
In a statement issued in Accra on Thursday, June 18, 2026, the Forum referenced a news publication on the Gold Board’s website dated June 16, 2026, which announced that the Ghana Gold Board had signed an agreement with the Ghana Armed Forces and the Forestry Commission to roll out a nationwide land reclamation programme targeting areas degraded by illegal mining.
According to the Gold Board, the project—estimated at GH¢36.35 million—will be fully funded by the agency and implemented in phases to restore degraded lands across the country.
While acknowledging the environmental importance of land restoration, the Forum argued that the decision by the Gold Board to finance and lead the initiative is “woefully inappropriate” and inconsistent with its establishing law.
The statement cited the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), noting that Section 2 of the Act outlines the agency’s core mandate as overseeing and undertaking the buying, selling, assaying, refining and exporting of gold, generating foreign exchange, and supporting the Bank of Ghana’s gold reserves accumulation.
“Clearly, land reclamation does not in any way form part of the three specific statutory objects of the Ghana Gold Board,” the Forum stated, adding that the initiative is “at stark variance with its statutory objects.”
The Forum further rejected any justification based on Section 3(1)(g) of the Act, which mandates the Gold Board to promote and support environmentally sustainable and responsible mining practices. It argued that this provision does not authorise the agency to initiate or finance large-scale capital projects of this nature.
“Had Parliament intended for the Gold Board to lead and fund such ventures, it would have explicitly stated so in the law by providing for it in clear, express and unambiguous language,” the statement said.
It warned that the GH¢36.35 million allocation, absent clear legal backing and project design, could amount to financial impropriety and expose the state to avoidable losses.
The Forum also referenced what it described as “questionable colossal losses” exceeding US$214 million recorded by the Gold Board in 2025, cautioning that the new initiative risks compounding fiscal pressures on the agency.
It further questioned whether the project had been properly budgeted for in 2026, whether it had been approved by the Board and sector minister, and what technical framework underpins its implementation. Other concerns raised include the basis for cost estimation, expected hectares of land to be reclaimed, project duration, and value-for-money safeguards.
“Was this part of the budget of the entity for the year 2026? Has this budget item been discussed with and approved by the Board and Sector Minister? What is the project design for the land reclamation exercise?” the Forum queried.
Describing the initiative as potentially unlawful, the Forum urged the Gold Board and government to reconsider and halt the project, insisting that statutory bodies must operate strictly within their legal mandates.
“While the Gold Board may be tempted to foray into areas outside its mandate because it considers itself financially capable to do so, it must be reminded that it is a creature of statute,” the statement concluded.
