Missing records of illegal gold purchases in Ghana raise concern – Duncan-Williams

The General Overseer of Action Chapel International, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, has raised concerns over Ghana’s gold trade, claiming that some buyers have records of illegal gold purchases that are not reflected in Ghana’s official records. Speaking during a church service on Sunday, August 16, Duncan-Williams said he was reminded of a conversation he had with a Sheikh, who allegedly disclosed that the amount of illegal gold purchased by some buyers exceeded the volume of gold officially recorded by Ghana. According to him, the buyers had documentation of the transactions, while Ghana did not have corresponding records.

“The amount of illegal gold that they bought and they had records of it, but Ghana didn’t have a record of it,” Duncan-Williams said. He explained that the gold Ghana had records of was largely what the government had officially sold, while there was another volume of gold for which, he claimed, Ghana had no corresponding records. “The one Ghana has record of was what the government sold, but the one Ghana didn’t have record of was more than what Ghana sold to them.

And they have all the record and we don’t,” he said. Duncan-Williams said the situation raised questions about the effectiveness of Ghana’s laws and regulatory systems, particularly in relation to illegal mining and the gold trade. He argued that the problem was compounded when efforts to enforce the law became politicised.

“For whatever reason, it looks like the rules and the laws are not working because if anybody tries to make it work and enforce the law, we turn everything to politics,” he said. According to him, political considerations could discourage lawmakers and political leaders from taking firm action against illegal activities. He cited the fear of losing electoral support as one of the factors that could influence political decisions.

“If you don’t do what I want, next time I won’t vote for you,” he said, describing the pressure politicians may face from constituents. Duncan-Williams suggested that concerns about losing parliamentary seats or political power could ultimately contribute to a situation where lawlessness is tolerated. His comments come amid ongoing national concerns over illegal mining, the regulation of Ghana’s gold sector and the enforcement of laws governing the country’s natural resources.

He urged Ghanaians to take the situation serious…