Residents and representatives of communities hosting Gold Fields Ghana Limited’s Tarkwa Mine have petitioned the government to renew the company’s five mining leases before they expire in April 2027.

The petition, addressed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources through the Minerals Commission, calls for an early decision on the renewal application to provide certainty for the mine, its employees, contractors and businesses that depend on its operations.

The residents said their appeal was informed by their experiences as assembly members, teachers, youth leaders, contractors, traders, farmers and other community members who have witnessed both the benefits and challenges associated with mining in the Tarkwa area.

According to the petition, Gold Fields submitted its application for the renewal of the leases in November 2025 and is seeking an extension beyond the current lease period.

The residents are urging the government to complete the statutory, technical, environmental and commercial assessments of the application and, if the company satisfies all applicable requirements, approve the renewal ahead of the April 2027 expiry.

They said an early resolution would help safeguard jobs, sustain local businesses and enable communities and other stakeholders to plan with greater certainty.

The petitioners also stressed the importance of continuity in the operations of the Tarkwa Mine, given its significance to the local economy and the livelihoods of residents and businesses within its host communities.

They are therefore appealing to the government to expedite the necessary processes and take a decision on the renewal application within the remaining period before the leases expire.

They argue that uncertainty over the future of the mine could affect investment decisions, employment and economic activity in Tarkwa.

The petition cites Gold Fields’ published 2024 operational figures, which it says recorded 568 employees and 5,092 contractors at the Tarkwa operation, with 71 per cent of its workforce drawn from host communities.

The residents further point to the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation’s social investments, saying the Foundation had invested more than US$110 million in projects and programmes serving communities around the Tarkwa and Damang mines as of 2025.

They mention investments in education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture and infrastructure, including roads, the redevelopment of the Tarkwa and Aboso Stadium and a girls’ dormitory at HUNIVAS.

The petition also makes a case for the mine’s environmental performance.

While acknowledging that community investment should not excuse environmental non-compliance, the residents say they have witnessed rehabilitation of mined-out areas and restoration of wildlife habitats during visits to the concession.

They are therefore asking government to consider the company’s employment, social investment and environmental management record as part of the lease-renewal process.

Renewal debate

The petition comes against the backdrop of growing public debate over the future of the Tarkwa mine.

On July 24, 2026, a section of the Apinto Divisional Council called on government not to renew Gold Fields’ leases and instead proposed that the operation be handed over to a Ghanaian-owned mining company.

The petitioners acknowledge that position but argue that it should not be treated as a unanimous view of communities in the Tarkwa mining area.

They cite a May 30, 2026 appeal by chiefs and residents of Huniso for the President to renew the Gold Fields lease. The petition says Huniso hosts more than 70 per cent of the Tarkwa Mine.

The residents supporting the renewal also reject what they describe as a false choice between Gold Fields’ continued operation and increased Ghanaian ownership of the mining sector.

They argue that a renewed lease could instead be used by government to secure stronger commitments on Ghanaian participation, including local procurement, employment, skills transfer, enterprise development and community benefits.

What the petitioners want

The residents are asking government to expedite the assessment and negotiations over the five leases and, subject to the company meeting the relevant legal and regulatory requirements, approve the renewal well before April 2027.

They are also calling for stronger commitments from the company on host-community employment, local procurement, skills development, environmental rehabilitation and local enterprise development.

The petition invokes the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), particularly provisions governing the extension of mining leases.

It ultimately asks government to base its decision on the law, regulatory compliance, economic considerations, environmental performance and the interests of host communities.

The petition was signed on behalf of the residents and host communities by the Assembly Member for New Atuabo, Hon. Nsor, and community representative Nana Kwasi Ansah of Huniso.

The renewed debate now leaves government with the task of weighing competing positions from stakeholders in Tarkwa as it considers the future of one of Ghana’s major mining operations.

The current leases are due to expire in April 2027.