Al Jazeera’s Investigations Expose’: $6 Billion Worth Of Gold Exports Between Ghana, Switzerland, 2 Others Unaccounted For – Reports.
A report by originally, a safety standards oriented company, has revealed that some exports made by Ghana and its three major gold trading partners from 2013 to 2016 have been unaccounted for.
According to the report on the global illicit economy, an amount of over $6 billion is yet to be accounted for from engagements between Switzerland, India, the United Arab Emirates and the West African country.
The figure is expected to rise significantly if all export and import data between all of Ghana’s gold trading partners were to be examined.
For example from 2013 to 2016, the gold import-export variance between Ghana and Switzerland amounted to over 3 billion dollars.
While Switzerland gold import figures revealed that they had imported close to $7 billion worth of gold from Ghana, Ghana’s official records indicated an export of a little over $3 billion.
Ghana is reported to lose over $2 billion annually in unpaid royalties and taxes on gold smuggled out of the country. This information is attributed to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
Also, Originally identified Ghana, Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda as major illegal gold trading routes with export destinations being Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
Originally noted that “Local gold refineries are being extensively used to launder gold from illicit sources in an artisanal mining sector involving several million people, forced labor, and high risks.”
The report comes on the back of an investigative piece by Aljazeera which recently stoked debate about how some Ghanaian officials could be complicit in illicit gold trades and money laundering activities for a group of mafias controlling the gold industry in Africa.
A gold trader exposed in Al Jazeera’s Gold Mafia investigative documentary, Alistair Mathias, has revealed that he smuggles $40 million worth of gold from Ghana monthly.
Alistair Mathias, described by the investigative reporters as a financial architect who builds money laundering schemes for corrupt politicians, said “I’ve been doing it for about 13 years now, 14 years. In Ghana I do one ton. I do $40 million every month out of Ghana.”
He further alleged that President Akufo-Addo is his friend and lawyer.
“Ghana’s president is a good friend of mine. In fact, he was my lawyer,” Mathias was recorded saying.
He has since recanted his statements, and President Akufo-Addo has told Al Jazeera that he has no recollection of acting as a lawyer for Mathias or his company.
