The Bole Municipal Assembly in collaboration with the UK-Ghana Gold programme has officially launched and outdoored the Bole Municipal Gold Traders Association at the Bole Wuripe and Sons Royal Lodge on 22nd November, 2024.
Speaking to Bole based Nkilgi fm, the Bole Municipal Chief Executive Madam Veronica Alele Heming said the event is to officially launch and outdoor the association for the people of the Municipality, and also to enlightened stakeholders on their roles and responsibilities in promoting ethical and responsible gold trading practices in the gold value chain.
She said the Bole Gold Traders Association is the umbrella union of gold traders in the district, dedicated to promoting ethical and responsible gold trading practices in Bole and in neighbouring
communities and eastablished with support from the UK Ghana Gold Programme (UKGGP) and the Bole Municipal Dssembly.
She added that the Bole Municipal Assembly is also collaborating with the Precious Minerals Marketing Company and the Bole District
Security Council to help the association to play a critical role in championing legal gold trading
practices in the communities, serving as a watchdog against gold smuggling and gold-related illicit trading.
Madam Veronica Alele Heming further said they considered the financial flows that deprives the state of much needed revenue to fund developmental projects in the Municipality and Ghana as a whole.
The Chairman elect for the Bole Gold Traders Association, Mr. Mahama Yakubu said the Association has come at a very good time, because there is a lot happening in the gold industry.
He said Ghana has been blessed with deposit of Gold all over the country but at the end of the day, Ghanaians do not benefit much from the proceeds of the gold that they mine and reason why they formed the Association.
Mr Mahama Yakubu said Ghana looses over 4 billion worth of revenue through gold smuggling every year and Bole is one of the communities that people come to smuggling the gold away to foreign countries.
He added that the Association has been established to curtail the activities of illegal gold buyers and smuggling in the area.
Mahama Yakubu said as an Association of gold buyers, they have to fight their own battle because that is where they earn their living to feed their families, but because of influx of foreigners, most of their members are going bankrupt and others are folding back their businesses because they are unable to compete with the foreigners.
He said most of them find their ways to smuggling out without paying the requisite tax to the government of Ghana and government need those taxes to be able to develop the country.
Mr. Mahama Yakubu further said as an Association, it is their mandate to ward off illegal Gold buyers and also to make sure they empower their members to be able to take over the gold business industry for them to be able to work and get enough revenue fir the development of the community.
The new Chairman Gold Buyers Association Chairman thanked the UK-GHANA Gold programme and the Bole Municipal Assembly for their support. He said the UK-GHANA Gold Programme took them through a lot education and sensitization programs.
Yakubu Mahama also thanked the Minerals Commission for always being available for them and made them to understand that the Minerals of Ghana belongs to Ghanaians only.
The other executives of the Bole Municipal Gold Buyers Association are Mahama Tahiru
From Dollar Power as Secretary; Seidu Shaibu from Dakrupe as Deputy Secretary and Amadu Seidu from Dakrupe as Organiser.
The rest are Ewura Anani from Cluff as Deputy Organiser; Naamata Abena from Tinga as Women Organiser and Mohammed Abdullah from Bole as Treasurer.
The Council of Patrons are Alhaji Abu Aseidu from Dakrupe, Mr Robert Farouk from Tinga, Chief Jaaga Abu from Cluff Chief and Mr Adams Sarichi from Cluff.
Source: nkilgifmonline.com
