Small-Scale Miners Defend Leader Over Galamsey Claims

 


The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) has issued a strong rebuttal to recent allegations made by the Extraction Accountability Project (TEAP), which accused the Association’s General Secretary, Mr. Godwin Nickleson Amarh, of engaging in irresponsible mining practices.

In a press release dated May 28, 2025, GNASSM dismissed the claims as baseless and unsubstantiated, describing them as part of a deliberate smear campaign to tarnish Mr. Amarh’s reputation and discredit the Association.

According to the statement signed by GNASSM National President Mr. Philip Akufo, Director of Communication Alhassan Abdul-Razak, and Director of Finance Francis Opoku, Mr. Amarh’s concession has consistently adhered to best practices in responsible mining. They emphasized that his site has even served as a model for study and emulation within Ghana’s small-scale mining sector.

"Mr. Godwin N. Amarh's mining concession has been a model of study and emulation for small-scale miners in Ghana. His commitment to responsible mining has earned him industry-wide recognition," the Association stated.

GNASSM further explained that Mr. Amarh was appointed to the board of GOLDBOD — the body responsible for promoting ethical standards in Ghana’s gold sector — because of his expertise and proven dedication to sustainable mining practices.

The Association called TEAP’s allegations “unfounded” and demanded that the group provide concrete evidence. They also issued a seven-day ultimatum for TEAP to retract the claims and issue an apology using the same level of publicity as their accusations.

“We urge the public to disregard TEAP’s baseless allegations and to recognize Mr. Godwin N. Amarh’s contributions to responsible small-scale mining in Ghana,” GNASSM added, reaffirming their commitment to environmentally and socially responsible mining across the country.

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