Govt Conducts Lie Detector Tests on Individuals Tasked to End Galamsey

The government of Ghana has subjected members of the newly formed GoldBod Task Force to lie detector tests before deployment.

This task force, which was inaugurated on July 8, 2025, is charged with dismantling gold smuggling networks and securing the country’s gold value chain.

President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, emphasized that the polygraph tests were part of a rigorous vetting process designed to ensure that only disciplined and trustworthy individuals are entrusted with enforcing the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140).

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The task force comprises officers drawn from national security, the Ghana Armed Forces, and other security agencies, all of whom have undergone extensive training, anti-corruption briefings, and team exercises.
The lie detector tests are a clear signal that the government is serious about accountability and transparency in this fight.

The inauguration of the GoldBod comes amid alarming reports of an $11.4 billion loss over five years due to discrepancies in Ghana’s official gold export records versus those of its trading partners. The gap is largely attributed to smuggling and illegal mining activities.

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The government’s strategy to combat illegal mining activities includes real-time monitoring of operations via body cameras on officers and GPS tracking of vehicles. Also, every field operation requires written authorization from the GoldBod CEO, Sammy Gyamfi. This level of oversight aims to eliminate abuse of power and corruption within the task force itself.

The crackdown on galamsey is not just about protecting Ghana’s mineral wealth; it’s also a response to the environmental devastation and criminal activities—ranging from child prostitution to drug trafficking—entrenched in illegal mining camps, as exposed in recent raids in the Western Region.

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Whether this approach will succeed remains to be seen, but it certainly marks a controversial and uncompromising stance in a battle that has long seemed unwinnable.

The question now is, will this tough vetting process translate into real results, or will it merely be another layer of theater in a long-running saga of galamsey battles?