The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government's strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.By: Jacob Aggrey