A group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Ghana has filed an official petition with the Attorney-General, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). They want a full investigation into possible wrongdoing at the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), the government body that buys, tests, refines, and exports gold from small-scale miners.
The petition, shared with media on December 30, 2025, claims that unlicensed people and companies are involved in key GoldBod work like testing (assaying), melting (smelting), pricing, and refining gold. This, they say, could break the law and hurt Ghana’s interests.
At the center of the concerns is Mr. Roger Frimpong Kwakye, head of Goldstrom Ghana. He is reportedly under investigation for issues linked to a past government gold program (Gold for Forex) run by the Mineral Income Investment Fund, which ended in 2024.
The group says Mr. Kwakye and his companies—Goldstrom Ghana and BAWA-ROCK Limited—are handling GoldBod tasks without the required licenses. This includes running training for license holders and using a foreign-owned refinery at Kotoka International Airport to process gold.
They worry that Goldstrom, described as foreign-owned, does not meet Ghana’s rules requiring local ownership for such work. If true, this could mean less money for the country and a lack of openness.
The citizens are asking for:
– A quick and thorough probe into everyone mentioned.
– Suspension of any unlicensed people or companies working with GoldBod until the investigation ends.
– Public release of all GoldBod contracts and how partners were chosen.
They say they are ready to help investigators and work with others to keep Ghana’s gold industry fair and protected from abuse.
GoldBod was set up earlier in 2025 to better control small-scale gold mining, stop smuggling, and bring in more foreign cash. But it has faced other questions recently, including about possible financial losses and how some companies got big roles.
