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Lands and Mines Watch Ghana (LMWG) has rejected claims by the Minority Caucus in Parliament questioning the licensing of Bawa Rock Limited under the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) scheme, describing the allegations as misleading, politically motivated and lacking proper industry context.
In a press statement signed by its Executive Director, Kwame Owusu Danso Esq., LMWG acknowledged the importance of parliamentary oversight in a democratic system but cautioned that the Minority’s approach to the issue had generated “more heat than light” and risked undermining confidence in ongoing reforms within Ghana’s gold trading and mining sector.
The advocacy group stressed that Bawa Rock Limited is not a newly formed company created to take advantage of recent policy changes. Rather, it described the firm as a long-established indigenous company with years of operational experience in Ghana’s extractive industry. According to LMWG, the company has made deliberate investments in infrastructure, operational systems and professional management structures consistent with international best practices in precious metals trading.
LMWG further noted that Bawa Rock’s licence was issued strictly in accordance with the GoldBod Act, 2025 (Act 1140), and aligns with key national objectives, including improved traceability of gold, reduced smuggling and the strengthening of the formal gold purchasing system.
Criticising the Minority’s continued public scrutiny of ownership structures and licensing criteria, LMWG described the posture as political theatre masquerading as oversight. The group warned that such rhetoric could discourage serious indigenous investment and weaken confidence in reforms aimed at sanitising the sector.
“Politicians must be allowed to do politics, but industry must be allowed to work,” the statement said, calling for restraint and responsible engagement to protect reforms focused on long-term value creation in the gold sector.
LMWG concluded that attacks on indigenous companies without evidence risk weakening national reform efforts rather than strengthening accountability. It urged the Minority in Parliament to elevate public discourse and support initiatives that promote transparency, sustainability and investor confidence in Ghana’s gold trading industry.
Yaw Boagyan
