Armah-Kofi Buah has not resigned from GoldBod - Lands Ministry clarifies

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has dismissed reports suggesting that the Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has resigned from the Board of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 29 signed by Zambaga Rufai Saminu, Communications Directorate at the Ministry, it described the reports as false, stressing that Armah-Kofi Buah has neither resigned from GoldBod nor had any disagreement with the institution.

"The Ministry wishes to state categorically that the reports are false and do not reflect the facts.

"Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has not resigned from GoldBod, nor has there been any disagreement between him and the Ghana Gold Board," the statement said.

The Ministry explained that although the Minister initially served personally on the GoldBod Board, he nominated the Chief Director of the Ministry, Marcus Haligah, to represent him in January 2026.

It said the decision "was purely administrative and was necessitated by the Minister's demanding schedule and the extensive responsibilities associated with his portfolio."

The statement explained that at the time, the Minister was overseeing responsibilities across two ministries, making it difficult for him to attend all GoldBod board meetings and engagements personally, the statement said.

“He therefore exercised the appropriate institutional arrangement by designating the Chief Director, a senior official of the Ministry, to represent him,” the Ministry explained.

According to the Ministry, GoldBod’s recent clarification also confirmed that the Minister initially served on the Board personally but later nominated the Chief Director because of his inability to regularly attend meetings.

It therefore urged the public and media organisations to disregard reports linking the Minister’s decision to any disagreement, conflict or dissatisfaction with GoldBod.

The Ministry further highlighted ongoing collaboration between its agencies and GoldBod, including an agreement between the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) and GoldBod to intensify mineral exploration.

It said the Responsible Cooperative Mining (rCOMSDEP) programme is also working with GoldBod on responsible mining, while the Forestry Commission is collaborating with the institution on land reclamation.

The Ministry added that GoldBod has also supported the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAIMOS) with vehicles as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration in the mining sector.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, it said, remains committed to the government’s agenda of strengthening Ghana’s gold sector, increasing local value retention, promoting responsible mining and ensuring that the country’s mineral resources contribute meaningfully to national development.

The Ministry urged the public and media to rely on official communications from the Lands Ministry and GoldBod on matters concerning the governance and operations of the institution.