By Magdalene Andoh
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to ensuring a transparent and conflict-free diamond trade during the opening ceremony of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) review visit to Ghana.
Speaking at the event held at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra on Monday, 9 March 2026, Mr Gyamfi welcomed the international delegation and expressed Ghana’s readiness to cooperate fully with the review team.
The review mission, taking place from 9 to 12 March, is being conducted under the leadership of the Russian Federation and brings together representatives from participating countries, government institutions, industry stakeholders and civil society organisations.
In his address, the GoldBod CEO said Ghana remained firmly committed to the principles and objectives of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which was established to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the global market.
“Our participation in the Kimberley Process reflects our determination to ensure that diamonds produced and exported from Ghana comply fully with international standards while contributing meaningfully to national development and the wellbeing of our people,” he said.
He noted that Ghana’s implementation of the certification scheme is supported by strong inter-agency collaboration involving the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, the Ghana Revenue Authority, law enforcement agencies and other industry stakeholders.
According to him, the coordinated approach has helped strengthen export controls, traceability systems and verification processes to ensure that diamonds exported from Ghana remain conflict-free and responsibly sourced.
Mr Gyamfi also highlighted recent reforms aimed at improving governance across Ghana’s diamond value chain. These include strengthening inspection and verification mechanisms, improving internal control systems, enhancing data management processes and providing continued capacity building for technical and frontline officers.
He pointed to sustained oversight in diamond-producing areas such as Akwatia and surrounding communities as part of efforts to ensure compliance with global standards.
The GoldBod CEO described the review visit as an important opportunity for constructive engagement and institutional learning.
“We view this review not merely as an assessment exercise but as a platform for dialogue, peer learning and strengthening our systems. We are confident that the observations and recommendations of the review team will support Ghana in further improving its implementation of Kimberley Process requirements,” he said.
Technical teams from Ghana are expected to brief the delegation on the country’s legal and regulatory framework governing the diamond sector, export and certification procedures, internal control systems and collaboration with enforcement agencies.
As part of the visit, the delegation will also undertake field engagements and institutional meetings to gain deeper insight into Ghana’s diamond governance system.
Mr Gyamfi noted that Ghana currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Kimberley Process and is preparing to assume the chairmanship in 2027. He assured participants that the country remains committed to supporting the continued evolution of the process through inclusive dialogue and pragmatic leadership.
He also expressed hope that members of the delegation would experience Ghana’s hospitality and rich cultural heritage during their stay.
Mr Gyamfi officially declared the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme review visit to Ghana open and wished the delegation fruitful deliberations and a successful mission.
