Host communities in Ghana’s Western Region staged a solidarity walk through Prestea on Monday in support of a concession-sharing arrangement with Heath Goldfields Limited, marking a shift in tone from earlier months when the same communities were mobilising against the mining company.
The 27 April demonstration brought residents, artisanal miners, and company representatives together to express gratitude for the company’s decision to release portions of its mining concessions to local youth through the Lands Ministry. The beneficiaries, operating across Bogoso, Dumase, Bondaye, and Prestea, will work under technical oversight from Heath Goldfields using mercury-free methods and with an obligation to reclaim exhausted pits.
Marchers later converged at the forecourt of the mining company, where they presented a Statement of Thanksgiving to Heath Goldfields officials. Spokesperson Mohammed Arthur commended the company for its contributions to local development and argued that as a Ghanaian-owned company, Heath Goldfields deserved community backing rather than calls for a foreign replacement.
Former Member of Parliament for Prestea-Huni Valley, Francis Kwasi Blay, used the occasion to deliver a firm message to artisanal small-scale miners, warning them against trespassing on licensed areas and calling for a structured dialogue process going forward. Chief of Prestea Nsuoakyi, Nana Kwabena Tenkorang, echoed the appeal for safety, urging community members to follow all protocols provided under the arrangement to prevent casualties.
The group has also pledged 5 percent of weekly proceeds to a community health fund, positioning the arrangement as a model of cooperative rather than extractive mining.
The goodwill, however, exists alongside a sharply contested broader dispute. The Catchment Area Community Alliance (CACA) has been demanding the revocation of Heath Goldfields’ mining licence since early 2026, alleging the company has failed to meet the financial and technical commitments made when its leases were issued in December 2024, including the development of the Prestea Underground Mine. As recently as 21 April, CACA’s legal counsel petitioned the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to terminate the agreement, citing alleged breaches of contractual obligations and safety lapses documented by the Minerals Commission.
Heath Goldfields has rejected claims of regulatory non-compliance and described its operations as proceeding within applicable standards. The company completed its first gold pour in February 2026 and secured a USD65 million financing agreement with commodities trader Trafigura in April to support the restart of oxide ore operations.
