GoldBod CEO Calls for Mining Industry to Put Youth at Centre of Social Licence

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has called for a fundamental rethink of the social licence for mining, urging the industry to place young people at the centre of resource development and economic participation.

Speaking at the National Mining Dialogue, Mr Gyamfi said the growing disconnect between the wealth generated from mining communities and the limited economic opportunities available to young people posed a serious threat to the long-term sustainability of the sector.

“For me, the strongest reason to rethink the social licence is the youth question,” he said.

According to him, many young people in mining communities continue to witness significant wealth being extracted from their lands while having limited access to decent jobs, skills development, business opportunities, ownership and other meaningful avenues to participate in the mining economy.

“A social licence cannot survive where the youth believe mining has no place for them except as casual labourers and bystanders, while others see them as troublesome agitators,” Mr Gyamfi stressed.

He called for the concept of social licence to be reimagined as a development compact between mining companies and young people, supported by targeted skills development, sustainable employment, local enterprise development and expanded opportunities across mining production and related services.

Mr Gyamfi also urged stakeholders to redefine the relationship between mining companies and host communities, arguing that communities should be treated as development partners and economic shareholders rather than merely sources of land for mineral extraction.

“Mining communities must no longer be treated as land donors. They are custodians of the resource and hence must be treated as development partners and economic shareholders,” he said.

He stressed that giving young people a meaningful stake in the mining value chain would not only improve livelihoods but also help build trust between mining companies and host communities and strengthen the sector’s social licence to operate.