Gold mining formalisation must not legitimise environmental destruction – CLGB
The Chamber of Licensed Gold Buyers (CLGB) has urged the government to adopt a conditional and evidence-based approach to formalising Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, warning against granting legitimacy to operations that cause environmental destruction. The Chamber says the GoldBod-led formalisation programme presents an opportunity to address longstanding challenges in the sector through an accessible, transparent and enforceable regulatory framework. However, in a policy statement, it stressed that government must distinguish between mining operations that can be conducted lawfully and responsibly and those that threaten water bodies, forests, agricultural lands and public health.