The Bogoso-Prestea Mine in the Western Region has become a battleground of competing interests, with divisional chiefs calling for Heath Goldfields Limited’s (HGL) removal just as local contractors publicly back the company and the operator unveils a $135 million redevelopment plan.
The tension came to a head this week after the Local Companies in Mining Services (LOCOMS), representing indigenous contractors within the Bogoso-Prestea enclave, issued a statement defending HGL against recent calls for the termination of its operating mandate. LOCOMS described those calls as premature, arguing that the mine is in a stabilisation phase following years of dormancy and that the company deserves time to execute its plans.
The contractors’ statement comes days after three divisional chiefs, Nana Adu Panyin II of Bondaye-Nsuta, Nana Nteboa Prah IV of Prestea-Himan and Nana Kwesi Sompreh II of Bogoso, petitioned President John Mahama on March 18, 2026, urging him to reassign the mine to a more financially capable investor. The chiefs argued that HGL has failed to deliver on commitments made when it was awarded the lease and called on the Minerals Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to act.
LOCOMS countered that the picture on the ground tells a different story. The association said HGL has made part payments on outstanding debts owed to member firms and introduced structured payment arrangements that are being honoured, a development the group described as a material improvement over conditions under previous operators, where delayed payments and limited local participation were common grievances.
“As local contractors whose businesses and employees depend on the success of this mine, we stand firmly behind Heath Goldfields and urge all stakeholders to work collaboratively to ensure that the Bogoso-Prestea Mine fulfils its potential as a driver of employment, economic growth and sustainable development,” the LOCOMS statement said.
The dispute plays out against a backdrop of notable operational milestones. Heath Goldfields completed its first gold pour at the mine on February 19, 2026, after a 24-month shutdown, a restart the company said created 1,400 jobs. The firm has also announced a $135 million investment earmarked for its first year of operations, anchored by the arrival of a $35 million heavy-duty mining fleet comprising Komatsu 785 haul trucks, excavators, dozers and loaders.
The mine, located in the Prestea Huni-Valley district, holds a measured and indicated gold resource of 5.1 million ounces and has produced more than nine million ounces since 1912. HGL acquired the lease in September 2024 after the then-Minister of Lands and Natural Resources terminated the rights of former operator Future Global Resources (FGR) and Blue Gold Bogoso Prestea Limited for repeated contractual breaches. The Supreme Court of Ghana formally closed that legal dispute in November 2025, dismissing FGR’s final appeal.
The government holds a 10 percent carried interest in the asset.
LOCOMS is urging government and host communities to prioritise engagement over disruption, warning that any instability in the mine’s operational framework would jeopardise jobs and the broader local economy.
