The Acting Managing Director of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), Sammy Gyamfi, has rejected claims that the GoldBod Bill was hurried through Parliament without proper scrutiny.

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He insists that the bill underwent a comprehensive and consultative process before its approval.

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According to Gyamfi, who has been assigned by President Mahama to oversee the establishment of GoldBod under the direction of the Finance Minister, accusations that the bill lacked due diligence are baseless. He detailed the various stages of consultation, stakeholder engagements, and legislative reviews that shaped the final version of the bill.

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Gyamfi stressed that extensive consultations were carried out to develop a solid legal and operational framework for GoldBod.

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"It became clear from our engagements that a broad consultative approach was imperative in creating a legal and operational framework for the GoldBod that is fit for purpose," he stated.

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To ensure a well-structured bill, the Finance Minister set up a technical committee composed of representatives from key industry bodies, including the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, the Chamber of Bullion Traders, the Bank of Ghana, the Minerals Commission, and the Minerals Income Investment Fund. This committee engaged with stakeholders across the mining and financial sectors to refine the bill’s provisions.

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The initial discussions involved experts from the Finance Ministry, followed by engagements with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Based on these inputs, a legal consultant was tasked with drafting legislative instructions, forming the foundation of the bill.

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Once the draft was prepared, further consultations were held with gold traders, small-scale miners, bullion dealers, and civil society organizations specializing in the extractive sector.

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To encourage broader participation, the committee extended discussions to various regions, ensuring that diverse perspectives were considered.

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"We held three regional programs in Akyem Tafo, Kumasi, and Tarkwa, where chiefs, miners, and traders were taken through the draft legislation and given the opportunity to contribute their views," Gyamfi explained.

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Following these regional engagements, additional adjustments were made before the bill was forwarded to the Attorney-General’s office for formal drafting. Legal experts from the Attorney-General’s department had been involved throughout the process to guarantee legal clarity and compliance. The final version was then submitted for Executive Approval before being presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister.

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Gyamfi described the legislative review process as one of the most meticulous in recent history, emphasizing that lawmakers had ample time to examine the bill in detail.

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“At the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Finance and Lands and Natural Resources, the NPP minority requested a one-day adjournment to study the bill in detail. This request was granted,” he noted.

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Following this pause, the committee conducted a thorough examination of each clause, making several amendments where necessary. Although the NPP, led by Hon. Mohammed Amin Adam, expressed general support for the GoldBod initiative, they sought assurances that the bill was appropriately structured.

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One of the key moments in the legislative process was the "winnowing" session, where MPs debated over 50 proposed amendments put forward by the NPP minority.

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“At this session, which lasted over four hours, several amendments were accepted, while others were abandoned after extensive discussions," Gyamfi recounted.

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Despite this exhaustive review, the NPP minority later walked out of Parliament, arguing that the bill was being rushed through the process. Gyamfi dismissed this claim outright, asserting:

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"A very respected NPP MP confided in me that he had never seen a bill undergo such stringent parliamentary scrutiny."

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