Missing PMMC Bullion Van Raises Questions Amid Gold Controversies
The whereabouts of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company’s (PMMC) bulletproof bullion van remain unknown following a series of contentious gold shipment incidents that have raised serious concerns about Ghana’s gold export protocols and oversight apparatuses.
The dedicated security vehicle, last seen on January 14, 2025, during a disputed gold transport operation, has strangely vanished from the company’s premises at Diamond House, sparking widespread speculation and demands for accountability from industry stakeholders and the public.
The van’s disappearance follows two contentious incidents involving large gold shipments, both allegedly destined for the Bank of Ghana (BoG). In December 2024, security operatives intercepted the same bullion van at the Aviance Cargo Village while transporting 188 gold bars. The PMMC promptly issued a statement claiming the shipment was intended for the Central Bank, but subsequent investigations have revealed a more complex scenario.
In a similar incident on January 14, 2025, eyewitnesses reported seeing around 90 gold bars being transported from Diamond House under police escort. The bullion van, attempting to evade trailing investigators, was eventually apprehended. Once again, those in charge claimed the shipment was destined for the Bank of Ghana.
In both incidents, the Central Bank has not responded to the saga, which has added another layer of complexity to the unfolding situation. However, sources within BoG indicate that the bank, frustrated with PMMC’s repeated unauthorized use of its name, confiscated both gold shipments along with the van. The first package is reportedly stored at the bank’s warehouse along the John Evans Atta-Mills High Street, while the second consignment was allegedly taken to a BoG warehouse on the Spintex Road, around Flower Pot.
Industry insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggest that the gold shipments may have links to several high-profile individuals, a Pakistani businessman operating under Indian credentials, who reportedly exploits BoG-related tax incentives for gold exports.
The disappearance of the specialized security vehicle raises critical questions about the security of Ghana’s gold transport operations and the accountability mechanisms within the PMMC. Security expert Dr. Kwame Mensah notes, “A bulletproof bullion van is not an ordinary vehicle that can simply vanish without trace. This situation demands immediate investigation and explanation from both the PMMC and relevant security agencies.”
The Minerals Commission, responsible for regulating Ghana’s mining sector, has remained notably silent on the matter. However, sources within the Commission indicate that an internal inquiry may be underway to determine the circumstances surrounding these irregular gold movements and the missing vehicle.
Mines and Energy expert, Prof. Augustine Mawuli Agbeko has called for an emergency meeting to address these developments. “We cannot stand by while a state institution’s critical security asset disappears without explanation. We should demand answers from all parties involved,” he stated.
As pressure mounts for answers, several questions remain unaddressed: Who authorized these gold shipments? Why they were falsely attributed to the Bank of Ghana? What is the true ownership of the confiscated gold? And perhaps most crucially, where is the PMMC’s bullion van?
The Ghana Police Service has yet to confirm whether a formal investigation has been launched into the van’s disappearance. Meanwhile, industry observers note that the PMMC’s operations have been noticeably affected, with alternative arrangements being made for secure gold transport.
These events unfold against the backdrop of Ghana’s efforts to strengthen its position as a leading gold producer in Africa and raise concerns about the integrity of the country’s gold export procedures. The missing bullion van saga threatens to undermine confidence in Ghana’s precious minerals handling protocols and calls for urgent reform in the sector’s oversight mechanisms.
As stakeholders await official responses from the PMMC and relevant authorities, the missing bullion van remains a symbol of the broader challenges facing Ghana’s gold industry and the need for enhanced transparency in its operations.
The van has been brought this evening after being in BoG’s for 10 days.