A group identifying as the Concerned Area Community Alliance (CACA) has petitioned the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, to revoke the nation’s mining contract with Heath Goldfields regarding the Prestea Bogoso Mine.
The Alliance, comprising residents from Bogoso and Prestea, asserts that the company has failed to demonstrate the technical and financial capacity essential for the effective management of the site.
During a press conference held in Accra on 21, April 2026, counsel for CACA, Mr Martin Kpebu, alleged that the company had breached fundamental contractual provisions and failed to meet its financial obligations.
He urged the Minister to act decisively by terminating the agreement to protect the interests of the state and the local communities.
Located in the Western Region, the Bogoso-Prestea gold mine is one of Ghana’s most strategic mineral assets. For decades, it has served as a primary source of livelihood within the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality, contributing significantly to national revenue, local employment, and regional economic stability.
However, Mr Kpebu noted that since the lease was granted to Heath Goldfields in December 2024, there has been negligible operational progress. Despite a Strategic Mine Development Plan promising a $500 million investment, the company has consistently failed to meet critical milestones. While it projected an expenditure of $150 million by the end of 2025, it has reportedly invested only $27.3 million to date.
Further concerns were raised regarding the company’s inability to modernise infrastructure or commence mining within agreed timelines.
Plans for the rehabilitation of essential facilities and the settlement of outstanding employee entitlements remain unfulfilled.
Furthermore, the anticipated support from Yilmaden Holdings—which reportedly influenced the initial award of the lease—has failed to materialise, casting doubt on the firm’s financial viability.
Elaborating further in an interview on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr Kpebu highlighted that Heath Goldfields had neglected to install vital equipment, such as a gyratory crusher, and had failed to settle legacy debts owed to local contractors and state institutions, including the Ghana Revenue Authority and SSNIT.
He noted that inspections by the Minerals Commission revealed alarming safety and operational lapses, including a non-functional water treatment plant, a dilapidated tailings storage facility, and extensive flooding in the underground sections of the mine.
Mr Kpebu also raised serious legal concerns regarding a $65 million financing agreement reportedly secured from Trafigura. He alleged that this arrangement placed encumbrances on the mining lease and its assets without the requisite ministerial consent or parliamentary ratification, thereby posing a risk to Ghana’s sovereign mineral rights.
Arguing that these failures constitute clear violations of the Minerals and Mining Act and the 1992 Constitution, the Alliance has appealed to the Minister to invoke the relevant legal provisions to terminate the lease and initiate a transparent process to secure a more capable operator.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
