planetGOLD Ghana trains artisanal miners on financial inclusion and responsible supply chains

The planetGOLD Ghana Project, through the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), has held a two-day training workshop on financial inclusion and responsible supply chains in Ghana’s Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector.

Organised in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the workshop aimed to strengthen miners’ financial literacy while enabling financial institutions to better understand the unique needs of the ASGM value chain.

Mrs. Jewel Kudjawu, Director of the Inter-Sectorial Network at the EPA, highlighted the strategic role of financial institutions in advancing the sector. She noted that the initiative not only provided artisanal miners with the skills to engage effectively with banks but also equipped financial institutions to design solutions tailored to the sector.
“Together, we can design sustainable financial solutions that promote formalisation and strengthen responsible supply chains,” she said.

Ghana’s ASGM sector contributes an estimated 30–40 percent of national gold output and directly employs about one million people, with four to five million more indirectly dependent on it. However, about 80 percent of operations remain informal, limiting access to finance and market opportunities, while continued mercury use poses health and environmental risks.

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Dr. Frank Boateng, Mining Finance Expert at the University of Mines and Technology, underscored the importance of sustainable practices. He said the training emphasised environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, as well as the need for financial and insurance products tailored to the risks and realities of artisanal mining.

Participants welcomed the training, describing it as empowering. Ms. Amanda McSamuel, Head of SME Business at Enterprise Insurance, said the engagement demonstrated the potential to develop insurance products for the ASGM sector. Mr. Richard Osei of Okutey Mine in the Prestea Huni Valley District added, “I now understand the requirements and processes needed to secure financing and investment from banks and insurance entities. I feel empowered to approach them for support.”

The planetGOLD Ghana Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the EPA, works to tackle mining challenges by promoting mercury-free technologies, expanding access to finance, and strengthening responsible supply chains. The training forms part of wider efforts to formalise the sector, safeguard the environment, and improve the livelihoods of mining communities nationwide.