<h1><br></h1><p>The proposal was made by GoldBod Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, in a letter dated August 20, 2026, addressed to the Department of Parks and Gardens.</p><p>Under the proposed arrangement, GoldBod would acquire the land through a barter agreement and, in return, construct a new administrative head office facility for Parks and Gardens, together with other logistical and ancillary facilities to be agreed upon by both institutions.</p><p>Mr Gyamfi said the proposed arrangement would enable both institutions to secure durable infrastructure while ensuring that the land is put to what GoldBod considers strategic institutional use.</p><p>The GoldBod CEO also asked the Department of Parks and Gardens to seek the necessary approvals should it be willing to consider the proposal.</p><p>GoldBod said the requested land would be used to develop a purpose-built headquarters capable of accommodating its expanding administrative, technical, commercial, regulatory and operational functions.</p><p>The Ghana Gold Board was established under the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), with responsibilities including the purchase, aggregation, assaying, valuation, refining, sale and export of gold and other precious minerals.</p><p>According to the proposal, the expansion of these functions has created the need for GoldBod to establish a permanent institutional facility that can adequately support its operations.</p><p>The proposed land, however, is part of the Cantonments property belonging to the Department of Parks and Gardens, triggering opposition from some workers of the department.</p><p>The Director of Parks and Gardens, Dr Daniel Kingsford Adams, has confirmed the proposal, while workers have reportedly rejected the proposed land-for-building arrangement.</p><p>Environmental advocates have also expressed concern over the proposal, arguing that Parks and Gardens lands were acquired for horticulture, beautification and environmental conservation and should not be treated simply as available land for institutional development.</p><p>The Eco-Conscious Citizens group has called for government intervention to protect Parks and Gardens properties across the country and has demanded an audit of the department's lands.</p><p>The group has warned that the loss of the Cantonments parcel could set a precedent for the transfer of other public green spaces for development at a time when urban green areas are under increasing pressure.</p><p>The proposal is therefore likely to generate further discussion over how state-owned land should be allocated between competing institutional needs, particularly where such land also serves environmental and public-interest purposes.</p><p>For now, the three-acre land-for-infrastructure proposal remains subject to consideration and the necessary approvals. There is no indication in the available reports that the transfer has been completed.</p>