More than a year after Heath Goldfields — a company backed by the Government of Ghana and allegedly owned by former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor — controversially assumed control of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine from Blue Gold Bogoso Prestea Limited, the situation has escalated into one of the most contentious labour and investment crises in Ghana’s mining sector.

Over 400 laid-off workers have accused Heath Goldfields of deceit, discrimination, and the non-payment of lawful entitlements following their dismissal.

The aggrieved workers, led by Gabriel Madobi Oklettey, convener of the former employees, claim the company’s actions have left hundreds of Ghanaian families in financial distress.

According to the workers’ petition, Heath Goldfields dismissed them shortly after assuming control of the mine, citing “operational restructuring” and the need to place the site under “care and maintenance.”

The employees say they accepted the retrenchment in good faith, expecting full payment of salary arrears, bonuses, provident fund contributions, and severance benefits.

However, more than a year later, only partial payments have reportedly been made.

“Heath Goldfields has failed to honour its full obligations,” the petition stated, adding that compensation has been selectively paid to individuals “aligned with certain union interests,” leaving others without any support.

“This situation has plunged many families into severe hardship,” one former worker said. “We trusted the process, but the company has only deceived us.”

Amid mounting pressure, the affected workers petitioned the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who visited the mine on May 24, 2025, and directed Heath Goldfields to settle outstanding payments within 120 days.

While a few employees reportedly received partial payments following the directive, most say the company has failed to comply with the Minister’s orders five months later.

“Without the Minister’s intervention, not a single non-unionised worker would have received any compensation,” the petition noted.

A memorandum dated August 27, 2025, indicated Heath Goldfields’ commitment to clear all provident fund contributions by the end of September.

However, by October, less than half of the affected workers had been paid.

A new memo extended the deadline to December 2025, which the workers describe as evidence of “bad faith and financial incapacity.”

They also allege the company has not addressed claims for annual bonuses, redundancy benefits, and accrued leave allowances, in violation of Section 18 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which requires full settlement of benefits upon termination.

The petition further accuses Heath Goldfields of serious operational and regulatory breaches, including the unauthorised movement of gold-bearing material from the mine site and failure to engage transparently with regulators and community stakeholders.

The workers also alleged that Heath Goldfields was granted the Bogoso-Prestea mining lease on the condition that it would settle all outstanding debts inherited from Golden Star Resources — an obligation they say remains unmet.

“This failure undermines the credibility of the entire lease reassignment process,” the petition stated.

The dismissed workers are calling on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, and other relevant authorities to compel Heath Goldfields to pay all outstanding entitlements and conduct a full financial and operational audit of the company to assess its capacity to manage the mine.

The reassignment of the Bogoso-Prestea mine lease to Heath Goldfields has raised serious questions about due process.

Records show that Heath Goldfields — incorporated on February 6, 2024, with a stated capital of GH₵10,000 — applied for the mining lease just a week later, despite the lease being legally held by Blue Gold Bogoso Prestea Limited.

By November 12, 2024, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources had approved the Minerals Commission’s recommendation to reassign the lease to Heath Goldfields.

However, a subsequent letter dated November 20 suspended the reassignment — only for Heath Goldfields to move onto the site four days later, taking control of vehicles, residences, and even gold stockpiles belonging to Blue Gold.

Industry experts have described the move as a “state-enabled seizure” that violated Act 703, since parliamentary ratification, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval, and Mine Inspectorate certification had not been secured.

Blue Gold Bogoso Prestea Limited, the successor to Future Global Resources (FGR), had acquired the mine from Golden Star Resources in 2020 and inherited a $60 million debt.

Despite financial challenges, the company had initiated a $150 million bond and an $80 million financing facility to revive operations.

However, before these plans could materialise, the government abruptly terminated Blue Gold’s lease in September 2024, citing unspecified breaches.

Blue Gold has since filed for international arbitration, seeking $1 billion in damages for what it describes as “state-enabled expropriation and breach of Ghana’s investment treaties.”

The company insists it remains financially and technically capable of managing the mine and has offered to withdraw the claim if its lease is restored.

Meanwhile, Heath Goldfields continues to operate at Bogoso-Prestea — reportedly without full statutory permits from the EPA, Water Resources Commission, and the Mine Inspectorate.

The escalating dispute has sparked concerns among industry watchers about Ghana’s investment climate and regulatory integrity.

“The Bogoso-Prestea situation is fast becoming a test case for how Ghana handles investor protection, labour rights, and corporate accountability,” one mining expert observed.

As tensions mount, the workers’ fight for justice — and the government’s handling of the crisis — could have lasting implications for the credibility of Ghana’s mining governance and foreign investment reputation.