By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Coalition of Concerned Citizens of Bogoso and Prestea has formally submitted a petition to the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, to set up an independent committee to investigate the acquisition and operation of the Bogoso–Prestea Mine by Heath Goldfields Limited
The group cited an alleged misrepresentation of Heath Goldfields Limited’s profile, failure to meet financial commitments, and regulatory lapses, which they believe raised concerns about the integrity of the process that led to the grant of mining leases to Heath Goldfields in December 2024.
The Coalition of Concerned Citizens of Bogoso and Prestea submitted its petition to the Presidency on Monday, January 19, 2026, and copied the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
According to the leader of the petitioners, Gabriel Madobi, one of the many workers laid off at the then Bogoso–Prestea Mine, Heath Goldfields was awarded one of Ghana’s oldest and most strategic gold mining assets (Bogoso Prestea Mine), following the termination of FGR Bogoso Prestea Mine’s lease, which was granted in September 2024 due to insolvency and failure to meet statutory and employee obligations.
Heath Goldfields was recommended by the Minerals Commission based on its claimed technical expertise and strong financial backing from Yilmaden Holding, the mining arm of Turkey’s Yıldırım Group.
However, the petition questions whether Heath Goldfields is in fact a bona fide subsidiary of Yıldırım Group, noting that public records of Yıldırım Group subsidiaries do not list Heath Goldfields.
It further points out that Heath Goldfields was incorporated in Ghana in February 2024 with a stated capital of GHS 10,000, raising doubts about its capacity to independently finance the mine.
Central to the petition is the allegation that Heath Goldfields failed to honour its stated commitment to inject up to US$500 million into the Bogoso–Prestea Mine, including an initial US$50 million meant to immediately settle workers’ salaries, statutory liabilities, and critical operational costs.
The petition claims that employee entitlements, which were supposed to be paid within seven days of lease award, were instead paid partially and over a period of nearly one year, with several obligations—including severance, SSNIT, Tier 2 pension contributions, and some salaries—remain outstanding.
The petition also alleges that the mining leases were issued on 13 December 2024 despite key preconditions not being met, including the payment of outstanding worker salaries agreed under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union.
It describes this as a material deviation from the commitments in Heath Goldfields’ Strategic Mine Development Plan, which had given the company an advantage over other bidders.
In addition, the petition reports that more than 400 workers have been laid off since Heath Goldfields assumed control, contradicting assurances that the company’s financial strength would stabilise operations and preserve jobs in the Bogoso and Prestea communities.
Further concerns are raised about alleged failures to execute major capital and maintenance projects for the processing plant and underground mining operations, despite detailed procurement schedules and budgets submitted to the Minerals Commission. Petitioners argue that the absence of critical equipment on site suggests material misrepresentation during the bidding process.
In October 2025, the Minerals Commission reportedly issued a 120-day notice to Heath Goldfields to remedy breaches of its mining leases, citing a lack of funding and failure to meet development commitments.
The petition notes that, as of the date of submission, no final decision has been announced despite the alleged breaches remaining unresolved.
The petitioners are calling for a comprehensive investigation into the ownership structure, financial backing, regulatory due diligence, compliance with lease conditions, and the status of employee entitlements.
They argue that the issues surrounding Heath Goldfields mirror the same operational and financial distress that led to the termination of the previous operator’s leases.
The group is therefore urging state authorities to take appropriate remedial measures to protect workers’ rights, safeguard national interests, and preserve the integrity of Ghana’s mining sector pending the outcome of any investigations.
