A petition submitted to the Presidency is calling for an independent investigation into the acquisition and operation of the Bogoso–Prestea Mine by Heath Goldfields Limited, citing alleged misrepresentation, regulatory lapses, and failure to meet key financial and operational commitments.

The Bogoso–Prestea Mine, one of Ghana’s oldest and most strategic gold assets, was taken over by Heath Goldfields Limited after the mining leases of former operator FGR Bogoso–Prestea Mine were terminated in September 2024 over insolvency, unpaid statutory obligations, and failure to invest.

Following the termination, the Minerals Commission invited applications from local and international investors, including firms from Ghana, China, and Turkey.

According to the petition, Heath Goldfields was recommended by the Minerals Commission largely on the strength of claims that it was a subsidiary of Yilmaden Holding, the mining arm of Turkey’s Yıldırım Group, with access to more than US$500 million in investment capital.

The company’s technical and financial proposals were described as superior, particularly its pledge to inject US$150 million within the first 18 months and a total of US$500 million over five years.

However, the petitioners argue that post-approval developments contradict these representations.

Official records from Ghana’s Registrar-General show Heath Goldfields was incorporated in February 2024 with a stated capital of just GHS10,000.

The petition further claims that Yilmaden Holding does not list Heath Goldfields among its known subsidiaries, raising questions about ownership, control, and actual financial backing.

More troubling, the petition alleges that mining leases were issued on December 13, 2024, despite unmet preconditions set by the Minerals Commission, including the settlement of workers’ outstanding salaries and entitlements.

The petition describes this as a breakdown in due diligence and governance, suggesting undue haste by regulatory authorities ahead of a change in government.

The petition has been copied to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, EOCO, and the Bureau of National Investigations, with calls for a forensic review of the entire lease approval process to protect the integrity of Ghana’s mining governance framework .

The petition directly questions the roles played by senior officials at the Minerals Commission and the former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in approving and signing off on the leases.

It alleges that the eagerness to complete the transaction before a change in government may have compromised regulatory oversight.

The coalition is demanding answers on who authorised the lease issuance, on what basis, and why clear deviations from stated conditions were ignored.

The human cost of the failed promises is at the centre of the petition.

Over 400 workers have reportedly been laid off since Heath Goldfields assumed control of the mine, despite assurances that jobs would be preserved through recapitalisation and recommissioning works.

The Strategic Mine Development Plan committed the company to settle salaries, provident fund contributions, SSNIT, severance, and other legacy liabilities within seven days of negotiations with the union.

Instead, the petition documents prolonged delays:

Six months of salary arrears paid only in July 2025

Provident Fund payments made in September 2025

End-of-contract benefits paid in December 2025

Several obligations, including severance pay, SSNIT arrears, Tier 2 contributions, and entitlements owed to former managers, remain outstanding.

For the mining towns of Bogoso and Prestea, petitioners say the layoffs and delays have devastated household incomes, worsened unemployment, and weakened local economies already struggling from years of uncertainty.

“Due Diligence or Rubber Stamp?” Questions Over Investment Claims

Beyond labour issues, the petition details extensive failures to implement capital projects outlined in Heath Goldfields’ own development plan.

Millions of dollars were allocated on paper for processing plant rehabilitation, underground dewatering systems, ventilation, and critical mining equipment.

Yet, according to the coalition, most of the listed equipment has neither been delivered nor installed.

This has stalled production and mirrored the same operational distress that led to the termination of FGR’s leases.

The petition argues that detailed cost schedules and procurement lists were used to create an illusion of readiness, misleading regulators and sidelining more realistic bids.

120-Day Breach Notice Expired, No Action Taken

In October 2025, the Minerals Commission issued Heath Goldfields a 120-day notice to remedy breaches of its mining leases after it failed to meet funding and operational commitments.

The petition states that the notice period has expired, yet no decisive regulatory action has been taken.

Petitioners warn that this inaction undermines confidence in mining regulation and suggests selective enforcement.

“Is Bogoso–Prestea Being Used to Reward Kwabena Duffuor?”

One of the most politically sensitive questions raised by the coalition is whether the mine is being used as a political reward. While stopping short of making definitive claims, the petition asks whether the acquisition was influenced by political considerations rather than strict commercial and technical merit.

“Where Is the Credible Investor?”

In their closing appeal, the coalition reminds the President and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources of their public promise to secure a credible investor for the Bogoso–Prestea Mine.

“The President and the Minister promised Ghanaians a serious, well-financed investor,” the petition states.

“Where is that investor?”

The coalition is calling for an independent investigation into ownership claims, financial backing, regulatory conduct, and compliance with lease conditions, warning that failure to act could further erode trust in Ghana’s mining governance and harm one of the country’s most important gold assets.