Hon. Mrs. Joana Gyan Cudjoe is rewriting the story of women in mining and politics, blazing a trail from the goldfields of Amenfi Central to the global stage. As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Empire Legacy Ltd (GELL), Ghana’s largest licensed gold exporting company, she has built a multimillion-dollar enterprise rooted in ethical mining, sustainability, and social impact.
Since taking the helm of GELL in 2019, Joana’s visionary leadership has attracted over US$400 million in local and foreign investment, strengthened Ghana’s reputation in the global gold market, and created thousands of jobs across mining communities. Her company’s focus on responsible mining and community development has set a new benchmark for what sustainable wealth creation can look like in Africa’s extractive sector.
Beyond business, Hon. Joana Gyan Cudjoe serves as the Member of Parliament for Amenfi Central Constituency, where she made history as the first woman ever elected to represent the area, and with the largest winning margin in its history. In Parliament, she sits on the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, helping shape policies on food security, agribusiness, and Ghana’s cocoa economy. Her legislative agenda emphasizes grassroots development, gender equality, and inclusive governance.
Her work is deeply aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those targeting poverty reduction, gender equality, decent work, innovation, and climate action. Through her initiatives, she continues to champion women’s empowerment, youth development, and environmental responsibility, making her both a national reformer and a global ambassador for sustainable growth.
Through the Joana Gyan Foundation, she has touched thousands of lives in Ghana’s mining communities by providing scholarships, building and rehabilitating schools and boreholes, and funding critical healthcare interventions. Her philanthropy reflects her belief that the wealth of a nation must translate into the well-being of its people.
Her influence extends across politics, business, and philanthropy. She currently serves as:
Her outstanding achievements have been recognized with numerous national and international awards, including the Outstanding Female Miner Award (2025), Forbes Woman Africa Businesswoman of the Year (2022), Global Entrepreneurs Award (2023), and the Ghana Mining Industry Leadership Award (2021).
In addition, she has been honored with humanitarian and leadership recognitions such as the Pan-African Leadership Award (2019), the FIN Women Awards, Visionary of the Year (2021), and the African Women in Business Leadership Award (2020), among others, cementing her reputation as a powerhouse of progress and compassion.
From the gold mines of Wassa Amenfi to the corridors of Parliament and the global business arena, Hon. Joana Gyan Cudjoe stands as a symbol of empowerment, resilience, and innovation. Her journey embodies the new face of African leadership, one that balances profit with purpose and legacy with love.
As she continues to rise, she remains not only a trailblazer in a male-dominated sector but also a beacon of hope for the next generation of women and youth determined to redefine success, leadership, and service in Ghana and beyond.
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