The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has launched an investigation into the operations of Heath Goldfields Limited, following The Herald newspaper’s exposé, which raised grave allegations of regulatory breaches, financial misrepresentation, and questionable mining practices at the Bogoso/Prestea Mine in the Western Region. 

The Herald reported on Monday, October 27, 2025, that Heath Goldfields Limited, whose Board of Directors includes former Minister of Finance, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, is alleged to have engaged in illegal mining activities akin to “galamsey,” issued misleading public claims about investments valued at US$75 million, and progress at the site. 

In response, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has set up a five-member ministerial committee to visit the site and evaluate the company’s financial and technical capacity to operate the mine. 

Heath Goldfields Limited, was birthed during the tenure of Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in the Akufo-Addo administration. Its operations in the Bogoso/Prestea Mine, has been a subject of immense controversy with a US$1 billion arbitration payment looming against Ghana in Europe.

The committee includes the Minister’s Chief Advisor, Professor Jerry S. Y. Kumar; mining executive Mr A. A. Amoah; former Environmental Protection Agency Director Ransford Sekyi; former Chief Inspector of Mines Obiri-Yeboa Twumasi; and one Jonathan, a financial officer from the Damang Mine.

The committee, which has three days to submit its report, is said to have expressed concerns about the absence of a valid mining lease for Heath Goldfields and other relevant documents.

“There’s no mining lease, what are they doing there?” one member reportedly queried, hinting at possible lapses in regulatory oversight by the Minerals Commission.

The Minerals Commission has also been accused of conflict of interest, with allegations that the regulator acted as both an interim operator and supervisor, effectively compromising its neutrality.

“The Commission appears to be treating Heath Goldfields with kid gloves,” a source said, questioning why other companies such as Blue Gold were denied similar operational latitude.

The Herald’s findings further suggest that Heath Goldfields’ much-publicized claim of investing US$75 million to revive operations at Bogoso/Prestea may be exaggerated.

Sources within the mine describe widespread infrastructure decay and minimal rehabilitation work.

The processing plant reportedly underwent only minor refurbishments, with parts salvaged from the defunct BIOS facility to patch up the ageing Carbon-in-Leach (CIL) system, rather than the comprehensive overhaul initially promised.

Documents and testimonies obtained by the paper indicate that key materials, including steel balls, lime, and cyanide, predated Heath Goldfields’ takeover.

Moreover, with the company under a ministerial stop-work order since July 5, 2025, industry analysts are questioning how it could have procured and installed heavy equipment requiring months of lead time.

At the underground site, operations remain crippled by severe flooding. Reports show water levels at 108 feet below the 18th level as of October 20, 2025, submerging critical installations between the 17th and 24th levels.

The company’s dewatering efforts have been described as inadequate, relying mainly on reconditioned old pumps with only one newly acquired submersible unit.

Meanwhile, the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) project has been halted following the withdrawal of engineering consultant Knight Piésold due to unpaid invoices.

On the financial front, Heath Goldfields is reportedly struggling to meet its obligations to key partners, including the Volta River Authority (VRA) and GRIDCo. Despite claims of settling debts owed to workers, insiders say only salary arrears covering February to September 2024, amounting to about US$7 million, have been paid.

Severance packages, provident funds, bonuses, leave allowances, and end-of-contract benefits remain outstanding.

Concerns have also been raised over the company’s ownership structure and funding sources. Although Heath Goldfields’ Managing Director claims the firm is 90% Ghanaian-owned, he has not disclosed the identity of the remaining shareholder or the financial institutions backing their operations.

Analysts warn that without transparency and a ratified mining lease, suspicions of irregular financing and possible money laundering may persist.

Former workers have expressed disappointment over what they describe as propaganda-driven management. One source familiar with the mine’s operations remarked, “Heath Goldfields is investing more in public relations than in production. Without restoring the underground, there is no Prestea.”

The Ministry’s committee is expected to submit its findings to Minister Buah within three days, after which a decision will be made on the company’s future at the Bogoso/Prestea Mine.

-The Herald