Accra, Ghana June 24 2026

Eco-Conscious Citizens, a Ghanaian civil society group, is calling on international precious minerals, finance, and commodity markets to formally classify large portions of Ghanaian gold as ‘Blood Gold’, until the government launches a robust, sustained crackdown on illegal mining.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests that a significant proportion of the gold used to prop up the Ghanaian Cedi originates from illegal mining. It is for this reason that we are calling on global markets to declare Ghanaian gold ‘blood gold’, thereby forcing the Ghanaian government to wage a robust and unrelenting war against this canker. The farmlands, food, and water of our nation are being poisoned, posing an existential threat to our people. All actors in the supply chain must heed this call, or stand forever complicit in ecocide and a crime against humanity.” Awula Serwah, Eco-Conscious Citizens executive director.

A high percentage of Ghana’s gold, the economic backbone that props up the national economy and the Cedi, originates from unregulated artisanal and small-scale mining operations. These activities use mercury and cyanide with impunity, systematically poisoning farmlands, destroying food sources, contaminating vital water bodies, and creating an existential environmental and health threat to millions of Ghanaians.

“Global markets can no longer provide a safe haven for tainted gold whilst claiming ignorance,” says the group. “By continuing to trade without strict verification, financiers and buyers are complicit in an unfolding ecocide.”

The initiative is not intended to destroy Ghana’s gold sector, but to apply decisive economic pressure that forces decisive government action. Governments, we know, respond powerfully to threats against international credit, investment inflows, and market reputation. Labeling unverified Ghanaian gold as ‘Blood Gold’ is designed to be that lever.

Key Demands to Global Markets and Financiers:

• Mandate Proof of Clean Supply Chains: Require verifiable closed-loop custody, geological fingerprinting, and full compliance with OECD Due Diligence Guidance from all gold producers, refiners, and state entities.
• Establish ‘Blood Gold’ Risk Classification: Flag jurisdictions unable to demonstrate serious, ongoing enforcement against illegal mining and toxic chemical use as high-risk.
• Create Accountability Panels: Dedicate prominent platform sessions at industry events for independent civil society, environmental scientists, and legal experts to scrutinise and challenge supply chain claims made by government and state representatives.

“As international legal standards tighten around corporate liability, willful blindness to ecocide is no longer an option,” the group warned. “Downstream buyers and financiers who fail to actively vet their gold now risk direct complicity in environmental destruction and human harm.”

The group emphasised that only a credible, robust, sustained government offensive against illegal mining, backed by real enforcement and verifiable results, and no “orders from above” interference, can remove the ‘Blood Gold’ risk label and restore confidence in Ghanaian gold on the world stage.

Despite President John Dramani Mahama’s assurances, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), established by his government as the central body to combat illegal mining, remains inadequately resourced. Earlier this year, when Eco-Conscious Citizens Executive Director Awula Serwah raised concerns about providing NAIMOS with adequate resources, the President stated that the Secretariat should work with the initial modest budget allocated, with a review to be conducted later in the year. He promised that additional funding would be provided if more money was required.

A budget was also approved for the procurement of riverine patrol boats. However, NAIMOS still lacks these riverine patrol boats and continues to operate with insufficient resources. In light of this, Eco-Conscious Citizens has maintained its call for the government to properly resource NAIMOS so it can effectively carry out its mandate.

“International markets have leverage,” says the group. “By refusing to trade in ‘Blood Gold’, they can send a clear message: ‘Clean up the supply chain or lose access to the world market'”.

The group has produced a sub-5 minute video, ‘Label It Blood Gold: Take Action, Save Lives Declares Eco Conscious Citizens’, which can be accessed via bit.ly/GhanaBloodGold.EcoConsciousCitizens@gmail.com
https://Lintr.ee/EcoConsciousCitizens