The Minority in Parliament has criticised the government’s decision to rebrand the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) as GoldBod, warning that the move is worsening the illegal mining crisis and accelerating environmental destruction across the country.

Speaking during debate on the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday, March 10, the Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, said the restructuring had created uncertainty within the gold sector and weakened oversight mechanisms that are needed to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to him, the government has focused on renaming institutions rather than tackling the underlying challenges in the mining sector.

“All that this government knows how to do is rebranding. PMMC was changed to GoldBod, and now even the Finance Minister is giving it another name. What are they doing? They are encouraging galamsey,” he told the House.

Mr Shaib warned that illegal mining activities were expanding rapidly, leaving behind severe environmental damage in several parts of the country. He pointed to increasing destruction of forests and water bodies, as well as the growing threat to communities located in mining areas.

He cited reports of environmental degradation in Bole, the hometown of President John Dramani Mahama, where abandoned mining pits have allegedly turned into death traps for residents.

“If we don’t take care, including yourself, Mr Speaker, you may not be found alive in the next 20 years,” he cautioned, warning of the long-term environmental and health consequences of the galamsey menace.

The Deputy Minority Chief Whip also expressed concern about the potential impact of illegal mining on the country’s energy security. He referred to reports suggesting that silt from galamsey activities was affecting the turbines at the Bui Dam, a development he said could threaten power generation.

Describing the situation as a national security concern, Mr Shaib accused some local authorities in mining communities of failing to clamp down on illegal operators.

“We are trading 24-hour electricity for a few bars of gold. DCEs and MCEs in these mining areas are all involved in galamsey,” he alleged.

Beyond environmental concerns, he also questioned the financial management of GoldBod and criticised what he described as misplaced priorities in the handling of Ghana’s gold resources.

“All we think about is we mine gold - sell and make profits to send some sets of women to London to go and chill with them. Mr. Speaker, this is what is happening. This is the kind of settings that we are dealing with. Settings everywhere under the leadership of President Mahama,” he underscored.

Mr Shaib further raised concerns over the management of Ghana’s gold reserves by the Bank of Ghana. He questioned the decision to sell 18 tonnes of gold valued at about $2.22 billion, only for plans to emerge to repurchase the same quantity at an estimated cost of $3.4 billion.

“Who is taking the US$1.2 billion profit?” he asked, suggesting that the transaction could result in significant losses to the state.

The Minority has therefore called on the government to move beyond institutional restructuring and take decisive steps to address illegal mining, including enforcing existing laws, strengthening regulatory bodies and holding officials accountable.

Mr Shaib warned that without urgent action, the continued spread of galamsey could further damage Ghana’s environment, undermine economic stability and threaten the livelihoods of many communities.