Accra: Dr. Ato Forson, the Minister of Finance, has officially inaugurated the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Tribunal following the swearing-in of its first leadership. The ad-hoc tribunal, created under the Ghana Gold Board Act of 2025, is assigned to handle appeals concerning GoldBod's decisions, which include licensing and those made by the Dispute Resolution Committee.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Forson emphasized the importance of transparency and due process in the tribunal's operations. He highlighted the tribunal's crucial role in ensuring regulatory oversight while guaranteeing fair treatment for stakeholders within the mining and minerals sector. Dr. Forson urged the newly appointed members to maintain integrity, impartiality, and professional standards as they embark on their duties.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, the CEO of GoldBod, along with other board officers and representatives from the GoldBod governing board. Mr. Biadala Mortey Akpadzi was sworn in as the Chairperson, accompanied by tribunal members Hamidu Mariam and Justin Pwavra Teriwajah, who also took their oaths of office.
The tribunal functions as an independent appellate body, and its decisions carry the same legal weight as a High Court judgment. Appeals can be escalated to the Court of Appeal if necessary. The Gold Board Tribunal is a non-permanent entity convened as required to review appeals related to GoldBod decisions, particularly those concerning licensing and the Dispute Resolution Committee.
The tribunal's composition ensures essential expertise in law and gold industry practices, featuring a chairperson with significant legal or industry experience and two members with expertise in minerals and mining law or commerce. Key features of the tribunal include its purpose as an appeals body for GoldBod decisions, its composition of an appointed chairperson and two members, its function to provide a transparent review process, and its authority, as tribunal decisions are binding and equivalent to High Court judgments. Established by the Ghana Gold Board Act of 2025, the tribunal's structure and powers are clearly defined within this legislative framework.
