“How Ghana’s Strategic Gold Mine Was Handed Over on Paper Promises”
A coalition of concerned citizens has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to order an independent investigation into the acquisition and operation of the Bogoso–Prestea Mine by Heath Goldfields Limited, a company they allege is linked to businessman and former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.
The petition raises serious concerns about due diligence failures, alleged misrepresentation of financial capacity, regulatory lapses at the Minerals Commission, and the growing social and economic toll on workers and host communities since the mine changed hands.
The Bogoso–Prestea Mine is one of Ghana’s oldest and most strategic gold assets. After the government terminated the leases of former operator FGR Bogoso–Prestea Mine in September 2024 over insolvency, unpaid employee entitlements, and failure to invest, authorities assured Ghanaians that a credible, well-resourced investor would be selected to revive operations and protect jobs.
More than a year later, petitioners say those assurances have not materialised.
“Mining Without Money?” Serious Red Flags in Lease Approval
According to the petition, Heath Goldfields Limited was selected primarily on claims that it was a subsidiary of Yilmaden Holding, the mining arm of Turkey’s Yıldırım Group, and had access to over US$500 million in investment capital. These claims, presented in its Strategic Mine Development Plan, gave Heath Goldfields a decisive advantage over competing bidders from Ghana, China, and Turkey.
However, official records from Ghana’s Registrar-General show Heath Goldfields was incorporated in February 2024 with a stated capital of just GHS10,000. The petition further alleges that Yilmaden Holding has never publicly identified Heath Goldfields as one of its subsidiaries, raising doubts about whether the promised financial backing ever existed.
The coalition argues that Ghana’s strategic gold mine was effectively handed over based on paper promises, not verifiable funding.
“Leases Issued Despite Unmet Conditions”: Governance Questions at Minerals Commission
One of the most troubling claims in the petition is that mining leases were issued on 13 December 2024, even though key preconditions set by the Minerals Commission had not been fulfilled.
Among those conditions was the payment of outstanding salaries and entitlements owed to workers. Heath Goldfields had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghana Mine Workers Union, committing to pay at least two months of arrears by the date the leases were to be issued. The petition alleges that no such payments were made before the leases were signed.
Petitioners describe this as a serious governance failure, questioning whether proper verification was conducted or whether the approval process had become a rubber stamp exercise.
“Who Signed Off?” Inside the Bogoso–Prestea Lease Controversy
The petition directly questions the roles played by senior officials at the Minerals Commission and the former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in approving and signing off on the leases.
It alleges that the eagerness to complete the transaction before a change in government may have compromised regulatory oversight. The coalition is demanding answers on who authorised the lease issuance, on what basis, and why clear deviations from stated conditions were ignored.
Workers Betrayed, Communities Bleeding
The human cost of the failed promises is at the centre of the petition. Over 400 workers have reportedly been laid off since Heath Goldfields assumed control of the mine, despite assurances that jobs would be preserved through recapitalisation and recommissioning works.
The Strategic Mine Development Plan committed the company to settle salaries, provident fund contributions, SSNIT, severance, and other legacy liabilities within seven days of negotiations with the union. Instead, the petition documents prolonged delays:
Six months of salary arrears paid only in July 2025
Provident Fund payments made in September 2025
End-of-contract benefits paid in December 2025
Several obligations, including severance pay, SSNIT arrears, Tier 2 contributions, and entitlements owed to former managers, remain outstanding.
For the mining towns of Bogoso and Prestea, petitioners say the layoffs and delays have devastated household incomes, worsened unemployment, and weakened local economies already struggling from years of uncertainty.
“Due Diligence or Rubber Stamp?” Questions Over Investment Claims
Beyond labour issues, the petition details extensive failures to implement capital projects outlined in Heath Goldfields’ own development plan. Millions of dollars were allocated on paper for processing plant rehabilitation, underground dewatering systems, ventilation, and critical mining equipment.
Yet, according to the coalition, most of the listed equipment has neither been delivered nor installed. This has stalled production and mirrored the same operational distress that led to the termination of FGR’s leases.
The petition argues that detailed cost schedules and procurement lists were used to create an illusion of readiness, misleading regulators and sidelining more realistic bids.
120-Day Breach Notice Expired, No Action Taken
In October 2025, the Minerals Commission issued Heath Goldfields a 120-day notice to remedy breaches of its mining leases after it failed to meet funding and operational commitments.
The petition states that the notice period has expired, yet no decisive regulatory action has been taken. Petitioners warn that this inaction undermines confidence in mining regulation and suggests selective enforcement.
“Is Bogoso–Prestea Being Used to Reward Kwabena Duffuor?”
One of the most politically sensitive questions raised by the coalition is whether the mine is being used as a political reward. While stopping short of making definitive claims, the petition asks whether the acquisition was influenced by political considerations rather than strict commercial and technical merit.
“Where Is the Credible Investor?”
In their closing appeal, the coalition reminds the President and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources of their public promise to secure a credible investor for the Bogoso–Prestea Mine.
“The President and the Minister promised Ghanaians a serious, well-financed investor,” the petition states. “Where is that investor?”
The coalition is calling for an independent investigation into ownership claims, financial backing, regulatory conduct, and compliance with lease conditions, warning that failure to act could further erode trust in Ghana’s mining governance and harm one of the country’s most important gold assets.