Due to the increasing concern over gold smuggling and leakages,gold buyers in the Bole Municipality have inaugurated the Bole Gold Buyers Association (BOGBA), aimed at improving gold production and deliverance in the area.
The Association which was formed on Friday, November 22, at Wuripe and Sons Royal Lodge, elected Mr Mahama Yakubu, as chairperson of the Association.
The chairperson in his opening remarks said the Association was going to work closely with gold buyers across the Municipality and ensure that all buyers are taking their production to the country’s sole gold buyer and exporter, Precious Mineral Marketing Company (PMMC).
Mr Yakubu said the BOGBA was going to work with the government to eradicate gold buyers who snuggle the yellow metal of the country at the same time prejudicing miners of their hard- earned production.
He said the formation of the Association was the first step towards the eradication and elimination of confusion, leakage sponsored competition and the prejudicing of the small scale and artisanal miners by buyers who offer unreasonable prices.
The Chairperson of the Association, Mr Mahama Yakubu, said their goal was to promote a highly secured business environment, by cooperating with the appropriate state institutions.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Madam Veronica Alele Heming, speaking at the inauguration of the Association ,expressed discomfort with what she said was the increasing control over the internal gold trade by the foreigners in clear breach of the law.
She insisted that the business of “buying and selling of gold” should exclusively be in the hands of Ghanaians and questioned why foreigners should determine the price of gold.
That, she said, was unlawful and completely unacceptable and therefore welcomed the formation of the Association, which she said would speak with a strong voice.
She said Ghanaians should own and work in mining concessions, to bring in more foreign exchange to strengthen the value of the local currency.
The MCE, asked the buyers to be honest in their business dealings.
She denounced the loot of the nation’s minerals resources by foreign nationals through the active conniving of some well-placed and influential people.
She said everybody, including public officials would need to do some soul-searching and finally take an uncompromising position to act together in the best interest of the country.
The MCE said they should accept to work together to ensure that Bole and Ghana derived optimal benefits from its gold deposits and other natural resources.
The inauguration of the Association which attracted high profile personalities such as officials from the Mineral Commission, various security officers, chiefs, officials from PMMC among others is being supported by the UK-Ghana Gold Programme.
Source: yagbonradioonline
