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New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Juaben, Francis Owusu-Akyaw, has called on the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD) and the Ministry responsible for Mines to explain a GHC27.5 million agreement for geological investigations, citing concerns over legality and transparency.
He says the project, covering Funsi, Atuna, and Bensere East, appears to exceed GOLDBOD’s legal mandate under the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).
The Act authorises GOLDBOD to conduct geological work only in collaboration with the Ministry and for the benefit of small-scale miners.
“The Ministry responsible for Mines does not appear anywhere in the announcement. Was the Ministry consulted or did it approve this agreement?” Owusu-Akyaw quizzed in a Facebook post.
He also questioned the purpose of the project, which aims to generate geological data for “model mines,” a term not mentioned in the law.
“The term ‘model mines’ does not appear anywhere in Act 1140. Parliament did not give GOLDBOD the authority to spend public funds generating geological data for model mines,” he said.
The MP further raised concerns over 20 mineralised areas reportedly released to GOLDBOD by the Minerals Commission, stressing that the Minister for Mines alone has the authority to grant rights over mineral areas under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
Owusu-Akyaw said, “If GOLDBOD is in possession of these areas without a proper legal foundation, this is not a procedural oversight. Parliament and the people of Ghana deserve clear answers.”
He called on GOLDBOD and the Ministry responsible for Mines to provide full clarity on the legal basis for the project, the source of funding, and the release of the mineral areas, emphasising the need for transparency and accountability in managing the nation’s mineral resources.
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