Disengaged staff of Bogoso Prestea Mine are intensifying pressure on operator Heath Goldfields, accusing the company of failing to release severance packages and other benefits promised after their dismissal during a restructuring phase that followed the mine’s takeover.
The former workers, dressed in red and black to signal their frustration, said agreed upon timelines for settling their entitlements have elapsed with no payments made at a press conference in Accra on November 19, 2025. They contend the delays breach national labour requirements and are urging the Lands and Natural Resources Minister to step in, arguing the mine should be handed to an operator with the financial capacity to meet its obligations.
Convener for former mine workers Gabriel Madobi Okletey said that while the former workers welcomed Heath Goldfields’ takeover, the company failed to meet its obligations, prompting a protest that led the minister to issue a fresh 120 day directive for the payments to be completed. In a memo dated August 27, 2025, Heath Goldfields committed to clearing all outstanding Provident Fund contributions by end of that month and completing payments to disengaged workers by September. The company also assured workers of severance and redundancy payments, though without firm dates.
As of November 19, 2025, only about half of the affected workers have received their Provident Fund contributions, while End of Contract Benefits, Outstanding Leave Balances and the 2023 Bonus remain unpaid, according to Okletey. A later memo of October 6 pushed the deadline to December, further eroding confidence and deepening concerns over the company’s financial capacity.
Okletey said the impact of these delays has been severe and continuing. “Our families are struggling to afford food, education and healthcare. Some workers have died without receiving their lawful entitlements. Elderly and unwell former employees, who gave decades of their lives to the Mine, now live in distress because of these prolonged delays in payment and inefficient operation of the Mine,” he said.
He added that although the company continues to rely on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Mine Workers Union, the former staff do not consider themselves bound by it. The MoU is not aligned with the Labour Act and does not carry the enforceable weight of statutory obligations, according to Okletey. The workers cited Section 18 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which mandates immediate payment of all outstanding remuneration upon termination of employment.
The workers appealed for the Lands Minister to ensure that disengaged workers receive every entitlement owed them without further delay. “We demand the End of Contract Benefits, Outstanding Leave Arrears, 2023 Bonus and Redundancy Pay due us to be paid immediately to alleviate our hardships. It has become increasingly clear that Heath Goldfields cannot live up to their financial obligations under the Lease acquisition; the time has come for them to step aside for a more financially capable operator to be brought on board to operate the Bogoso Prestea Mine,” the workers stated.
They also allege that much of the company’s current activity focuses on hauling and treating old tailings. While this can generate short term returns, they said it is not a viable recovery plan for a mine that requires major rehabilitation and a full restart. “If tailings processing was all that was needed, the previous operator could have continued. Bogoso Prestea requires more than a temporary fix; it needs a comprehensive operational turnaround,” they argued.
When Future Global Resources’ lease was terminated, government cited the company’s lack of financial capacity as a key factor. Workers therefore expected that any new operator would be vetted thoroughly, with transparent and verifiable proof of financial commitment, according to the statement. The Bogoso Prestea Mine was acquired by Future Global Resources (FGR) from Golden Star Resources in October 2020, inheriting a $60 million debt. The government revoked FGR’s lease in late 2024 and reassigned it to Heath Goldfields Limited.
Five former workers have reportedly died while battling illness, depression and frustration after being laid off without financial compensation, according to statements made at the press conference. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah serves as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, having been appointed by President John Dramani Mahama and approved by Parliament in January 2025.
In July 2025, Heath Goldfields announced it had paid 80 million cedis to settle outstanding salaries owed to employees from the previous leaseholder’s tenure. The company stated at the time that it had initiated a stakeholder engagement and reconciliation process aimed at settling remaining outstanding entitlements, including provident fund contributions, severance packages and end of service benefits.
Heath Goldfields did not immediately respond to requests for comment before publication of the press conference’s content. The company appointed Patrick Appiah Mensah as Managing Director of the Bogoso Prestea Gold Mine to oversee the phased reopening of operations.
