The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has signed a GH¢27.5 million agreement with the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) to conduct geological investigations across three mineralised zones in northern Ghana, launching the first phase of a broader programme to bring scientific rigour to a sector that has long operated with limited subsurface data.
The three blocked-out mineralised areas in Funsi, Atuna and Bensere East form part of 20 locations released to GoldBod by the Minerals Commission of Ghana for further exploration and development. The Funsi, Atuna and Bensere East areas were selected as the starting point because of their assessed mineral potential and their location in communities where artisanal and small-scale mining activity has historically operated without the benefit of verified geological mapping.
Under the agreement, the GGSA will lead technical investigations to determine the geological characteristics and mineral potential of the three designated areas over a four-month period. The data generated is intended to support the development of model mines and inform evidence-based investment and licensing decisions, reducing the speculative element that has contributed to haphazard mining and environmental degradation in parts of Ghana’s mineral belt.
GoldBod said the initiative forms part of its mandate to transition Ghana’s mining sector toward data-driven management, improve oversight of extraction activity, and maximise the revenue the country retains from its gold resources. The authority noted that reliable geological data would also support efforts to attract responsible mining investment by reducing the technical uncertainty that deters structured operators from entering areas currently dominated by informal activity.
Officials from GoldBod emphasised that the initiative is part of broader efforts to increase national gold output while adhering to best practices in mining and environmental management.
The GGSA, established under the Ghana Geological Survey Authority Act, 2016 (Act 928), is mandated as the principal curator of national geoscientific data and is responsible for generating and maintaining the technical information base that underpins mineral resource governance in Ghana.
Gold remains Ghana’s single largest export earner. The partnership between GoldBod and the GGSA signals a policy direction that treats geological intelligence as a prerequisite for sustainable gold production, particularly in regions where the gap between known surface deposits and properly mapped subsurface resources remains wide.
