By: Gloria Anderson
Workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine are urging the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to intervene immediately as they continue to grapple with unpaid entitlements and worsening living conditions following the disengagement of hundreds of employees.
Addressing a press briefing in Accra, the workers explained that the current crisis began after the mining lease of Future Global Resources (FGR) was terminated in September 2024 by the then Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor. The termination followed repeated regulatory breaches and the company’s failure to comply with several 120-day remediation directives. Prior to this, workers had staged multiple protests over unpaid SSNIT contributions, delayed salaries, and withheld bonuses.
The lease was subsequently reassigned in November 2024 to Heat Go Fields Ltd. (HGL), a company introduced as financially and technically capable of reviving the mine. Workers initially welcomed the transition with hope. However, spokespersons at the press conference said that optimism has since disappeared.
They alleged that Heat Go Fields has failed to meet key obligations, including paying outstanding provident fund contributions, severance packages, leave arrears, and the 2023 bonuses. Despite memos issued in August and October 2025 promising payments by the end of August, September, and later December, workers say only about half have received their provident fund payments, with most benefits still outstanding.
They described the situation as severe, noting that many families are unable to afford basic necessities such as food, education, and healthcare. Some former employees, they added, have died without receiving their lawful entitlements.
According to the workers, HGL disengaged employees under the guise of “operational restructuring” and subsequently placed the mine under care and maintenance. They also raised concerns about the company’s financial capacity, pointing out that its focus on processing tailings reflects an inadequate long-term investment plan.
Citing Section 18 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), the workers emphasized that all remuneration must be paid immediately upon termination. They insisted that the Memorandum of Understanding between the company and the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union cannot supersede statutory requirements.
They appealed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Armah Kofi Buah, to compel Heat Go Fields to settle all outstanding benefits without further delay and to take firm action after reviewing all reports submitted following the expiration of the 120-day directive issued earlier in the year.
The workers further questioned the level of due diligence undertaken before the lease was granted to Heat Go Fields, demanding answers on the proof of funding and financial guarantees assessed during the process.
“The signs of financial strain we see today mirror the very problems that led to the removal of FGR,” they said, adding that a financially capable operator is urgently needed to restore stability at the mine.
They concluded by urging government to safeguard the Bogoso-Prestea Mine as a national asset, emphasizing its need for long-term investment and rehabilitation.
“We stand here today in pursuit of justice, accountability, and a dignified future for the men and women who built and sustained this mine,” they added.
