Ghana has introduced stricter rules for its gold sector, ordering all licensed buyers to issue official receipts for transactions as part of efforts to curb unregulated trade, the state’s gold regulator announced.

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) said the new directive applies to licensed aggregators, self-financed aggregators, and Tier 1 and Tier 2 buyers, who must use GoldBod-issued receipt booklets for all purchases and sales of the precious metal.

“Receipts are now a critical condition for the validity of transactions,” the board said in a statement, adding that the measure formed part of a broader enforcement drive.

GoldBod said it had deployed a taskforce and inspectors nationwide to ensure compliance, warning that buyers must present their receipt booklets for inspection and cooperate with monitoring teams.

Small-scale miners and traders were urged to demand receipts for every deal, with the regulator cautioning that violations would be treated as “a serious offence.” Sanctions could include suspension or permanent revocation of trading licences.

Buyers without receipt booklets were advised to contact GoldBod’s Licensing and Regulatory Unit for assistance.

Ghana is Africa’s largest gold producer, and authorities have been under pressure to tighten regulation of the artisanal and small-scale mining sector, which is a major source of revenue but also vulnerable to smuggling and illegal trade.