Accra: The founder of Action Chapel International (ACI), Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, has made a poignant call for prayers for the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) amidst allegations of a powerful Middle Eastern royal family's involvement in disrupting efforts to regulate the country's gold trade. The Archbishop's remarks come as Ghana strives to formalize the gold trade and combat illegal mining, with GoldBod positioned as a pivotal player in the government's regulatory efforts.
According to Ghana Web, during a church service on Sunday, August 16, 2026, Duncan-Williams expressed serious concerns over illegal gold trading activities and their implications for GoldBod and Ghana's battle against illegal mining. He highlighted that individuals formerly engaged in acquiring gold through unlawful means are now attempting to access GoldBod to transition to the formal system. "We need to pray for GoldBod," he urged his congregation.
The Archbishop detailed a conversation with a Sheikh who revealed that the inability to procure gold illegally has driven these actors to seek legitimate channels through GoldBod. This situation underscores the challenges posed by powerful and seasoned players within the gold trade who resist tighter enforcement and regulation. Duncan-Williams emphasized, "It is clear to me that GoldBod is dealing with a very powerful movement; these are people who are very established, they know and understand the field. They do not want the right thing to be done."
He further warned about the political ramifications of enforcing anti-illegal mining laws, cautioning that political interests might hinder efforts to safeguard Ghana's natural resources. "In the name of politics, we are destroying the future of our children and our grandchildren," he lamented, highlighting the reluctance of political leaders to enforce laws due to electoral concerns.
The Archbishop also discussed the environmental repercussions of illegal mining, particularly on Ghana's water bodies, farmland, and food production. "We are poisoning the land," he stated, expressing fear for the future generations affected by the current approach to resource management.
Duncan-Williams recounted information from the Sheikh regarding substantial quantities of gold allegedly purchased illegally from Ghana, with records held by the buyers but not mirrored in Ghanaian records. He claimed that the volume of unrecorded gold exceeded the officially sold amounts, raising doubts about the efficacy of Ghana's regulatory framework. "For whatever reason, it looks like the rules and the laws are not working," he concluded.
In his closing appeal, Duncan-Williams called for prayers for Ghana, particularly concerning illegal mining, natural resources, and the institutions committed to upholding the law.