By Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News Canada
The expansion of licensed gold-buying businesses and local refining operations is being identified as a source of employment under Ghana’s Gold Board initiative, with CEO Sammy Gyamfi estimating that the programme has generated more than 1,300 jobs.
Speaking before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Gyamfi attributed the estimated employment gains to public-sector positions and private businesses operating within the gold trade.
He put public-sector employment linked to the initiative at no fewer than 300 jobs, while estimating that private-sector businesses had created close to 1,000 positions. These figures have not yet been presented as a final official count.
Gyamfi explained that changes to the gold-buying licensing system had created opportunities for different categories of operators to participate in the industry. The four-tier arrangement covers Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 4 licences.
He singled out Tier 2 operators as a notable employment source, revealing that more than 700 licence holders currently operate under that category. Many, he said, employ between three and five workers, contributing to job opportunities in the sector.
The GoldBod chief executive also pointed to licensed aggregators and refineries contracted to process gold locally. He said eligible buyers could obtain financing indirectly through licensed aggregators, while refining operations were employing additional workers.
Gyamfi indicated that GoldBod intends to release official employment figures by December 2026. The publication is expected to provide a more definitive account of the jobs attributed to the initiative.
The reported employment impact comes as the government’s gold-trading framework seeks to broaden participation in the industry and expand local processing. The extent of the gains will become clearer when the official figures are made available.
MAIN FACT
GoldBod estimates that its initiative has generated more than 1,300 jobs, but the official employment figures are expected to be published by December 2026.
COMMENTARY
The number of licence holders and workers employed by gold-related businesses offers one way to assess the initiative’s economic impact. However, reliable evaluation requires verified figures that distinguish newly created jobs from existing employment and identify whether positions are permanent or temporary. GoldBod’s planned publication should help provide a clearer basis for assessing the programme’s contribution to employment.
