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

The UK government has expressed serious concern over gold smuggling in Ghana, which costs the country approximately $2 billion annually in tax revenue.

In 2022, nearly 60 tonnes of gold were smuggled out, exacerbating financial losses.

Chris Aston from the UK Ghana Gold Programme urged urgent action to address illegal mining and regulatory failures.

Security analyst Prof. Emmanuel Kwesi Aning labeled Ghana a "GalamState," where illegal mining is normalized, and corruption prevails. He warned of impending security, environmental, and economic repercussions unless the root causes of these illegal activities are tackled.