President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a whistleblower reward scheme as part of a broader crackdown on illegal mining, declaring that informants who help retrieve gold or illicit cash will receive 10% of its value.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the GoldBod Taskforce in Accra, Mr Mahama said whistleblower channels have been established to enable citizens to report illegal mining activities discreetly and safely.
“Whistleblower channels are in place, and informants are eligible to receive 10% of the seized gold or cash value,” he announced.
“So, whistleblowers, get ready. If you blow the whistle on anybody and gold is retrieved or cash is retrieved, you will get 10% of the value of gold or cash.”
The move, according to him, is aimed at strengthening community involvement in the fight against galamsey, the term used locally for illegal small-scale mining which has wreaked havoc on the nation’s rivers, forests and farmlands in recent years.
Mr Mahama’s remarks form part of a larger framework of reforms being introduced with the launch of the GoldBod Taskforce.
These include stringent oversight measures such as the mandatory use of body cameras during operations, real-time GPS tracking of all taskforce vehicles, and the requirement of a written warrant from the CEO before any field operation can commence.
