Duncan Williams Sounds Alarm on Powerful Forces Behind GoldBod Turmoil

The General Overseer of Action Chapel International, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, has raised alarm over what he described as attempts by powerful interests to find new channels into Ghana's gold trade.

According to him, political interference and the continued destruction caused by illegal mining could jeopardise the future of the country.

Archbishop Duncan-Williams Sounds the Alarm

Addressing congregants on Sunday, Archbishop Duncan-Williams called for prayers for the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), saying information he had received from a sheikh, as well as conversations he had held, had left him deeply concerned about the pressures facing the institution.

He claimed that some individuals who could no longer obtain gold illegally as easily as they had in the past were now seeking ways to access the formal gold-trading system.

A Highly Organised and Influential Network

The Archbishop said he believed GoldBod was confronting a highly organised and influential network. "It's clear to me that the Gold Board is dealing with a very powerful movement," he said.

He described those behind the alleged interests as "very, very established" people who understand the gold business and know how to operate within the sector.

The Environmental Consequences of Illegal Mining

The Archbishop expressed particular concern about the state of Ghana's water bodies and agricultural land, arguing that the environmental consequences of illegal mining could eventually threaten the country's ability to feed itself.

"We are poisoning the land," he added.

Enforcing the Laws

Despite measures to curb illegal mining, Archbishop Duncan-Williams questioned whether Ghana's laws were being enforced effectively. "For whatever reason it looks like the rules and the laws are not working because if anybody tries to make it work and enforce the law, we turn everything to politics," he said.

He suggested that elected officials could be reluctant to enforce unpopular measures because of concerns about electoral consequences. "And if you don’t do what I want, next time I won’t vote for you," he said.

A Fight Over the Country's Future

The Archbishop repeatedly framed the issue as one of intergenerational responsibility, warning that the country's current approach to natural resources could leave future generations with polluted water, degraded farmland, and fewer economic opportunities.

"If you look at the way we are running our society as a country, a nation, the future is in trouble," he said.

A Call to Prayer and Intercession

The Archbishop subsequently urged his congregation to spend time praying for Ghana, describing the issue as sufficiently serious to warrant national intercession. For him, the fight against illegal mining is also a fight over the country's future — its rivers, farmland, food supply, institutions, and the ability of future generations to inherit a healthy and prosperous nation.

"We are destroying the future of our children and our grandchildren," he said.

Source: JOY