Ghana losing about $2bn annually to galamsey, gold smuggling – UK gov’t raises alarm

The UK government has raised alarm over Ghana's increasing gold smuggling, which costs the country around $2 billion annually in lost tax revenue.

In 2022 alone, nearly 60 tonnes of gold were smuggled out.

Chris Aston, head of the UK-Ghana Gold Programme, urged Ghanaian authorities to act quickly to curb illegal mining and improve regulation, stressing the importance of safeguarding the economy.

Security analyst Prof. Emmanuel Kwesi Aning warned that Ghana risks severe security and environmental fallout if illegal mining, or galamsey, continues unchecked, describing Ghana as a “GalamState” due to the widespread corruption linked to the practice.