Bogoso-Prestea Mine: Former Workers Demand Probe into Mine Takeover by Heath Goldfields
Former workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine are calling for a full-scale investigation into the takeover of the mine by Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL), questioning the basis of the lease transfer to the company.
The workers allege that the reassignment of the mine’s lease to Heath Goldfields was done without adequate due diligence and are demanding that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources initiate an independent audit into the company’s financial and technical capacity to manage the mine.
Their call comes amid mounting allegations of regulatory violations, financial irregularities, and questionable mining practices at the Bogoso-Prestea Mine.
A recent report by The Herald newspaper claimed that Heath Goldfields had publicly stated it invested $75 million to revive the mine.
However, the publication cited evidence of deteriorating infrastructure, minimal rehabilitation, and the use of salvaged components from the defunct BIOS facility to refurbish the ageing Carbon-in-Leach (CIL) plant.
Background to the Takeover
According to the former workers, Future Global Resources (FGR) acquired the Bogoso-Prestea Mine from Golden Star Resources in October 2020. Persistent financial and operational difficulties, however, led to widespread unrest among workers and regulatory intervention.
Following several months of worker agitation, the then Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, issued a 120-day ultimatum on August 14, 2024, for FGR to address multiple breaches of its mining lease. When the company failed to comply, the lease was terminated.
On November 12, 2024, the Ministry reassigned the lease to Heath Goldfields Limited, which had been presented as a “financially and technically capable” operator, tasked with clearing outstanding debts, stabilizing operations, and revitalizing the mine.
Workers Demand Outstanding Benefits
Nearly a year after the takeover, former workers say the company has failed to meet key obligations, including the payment of salary arrears, provident fund contributions, and severance benefits.
In a press statement dated October 31, 2025, the former employees accused Heath Goldfields of persistent non-payment of lawful benefits, selective treatment of workers, and breaches of regulatory and operational protocols since assuming control of the mine.
“The company’s repeated failure to pay all entitlements exposes a disturbing disregard for the authority of the Ministry and the welfare of Ghanaian workers,” the statement noted.
The workers are therefore urging the Lands Ministry to compel Heath Goldfields to settle all outstanding entitlements to them.
