An estimated 400 former workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mines are facing a growing humanitarian and financial crisis, publicly accusing the new operator, Heath Gold Fields (HGF), of failing to pay their long-overdue severance packages and other critical entitlements.

The former employees are demanding immediate government intervention, alleging that the new company is either financially incapable or deliberately refusing to honour payments—a failure that directly contravenes a directive issued by the sector Minister that payment of arrears must precede the start of mining operations.

The Broken Promise of New Ownership

The workers’ current despair follows an initial period of relief.

The former operator, Future Global Resources (FGR), was deemed financially incompetent, prompting the workforce to advocate for a change in ownership. The assumption was that HGF, having been vetted by the government, possessed the necessary financial and technical competence to stabilize the mine and settle debts.

Gabriel Madobi, Convenor of the Former Workers of the Bogoso Prestea Mines Union, recounted the broken promise on JoyNews' AM Show:

“All of us were crying to have someone who is well capable of, I mean, operating the mine. So when Heath Gold Fields came into the picture, we said, ‘okay, that's nice,’ but the minister told you that before you start the mine, pay all the entitlements and all the arrears to the former workers before you start.”

Despite this ministerial ultimatum, HGF has reportedly resumed partial operations without settling the full range of benefits owed to the disengaged workforce.

Catalogue of Unpaid Entitlements

The outstanding payments are not limited to severance; they constitute the entire financial safety net for the former workers and their families. The unpaid benefits include:

• Severance or Redundancy Packages
• Leave Balances
• Provident Funds
• End-of-Contract Benefits

Kwame Kyei Addo, a former worker, articulated the dire confidence crisis surrounding HGF’s financial standing:

“The basis of our call and the reason why this issue is becoming alarming is that somebody who is proven to be financially competent is unable to pay us our full entitlement, even beyond the fact that the minister has given an ultimatum for the company to pay us our full entitlement."

Mr. Addo questioned whether the company’s inability to pay the entitlements—which under labour law must be settled immediately upon termination—indicates a hidden financial crisis:

"The company's continuous failure to settle debts suggests a hidden crisis."

Children Out of School, Health Care Denied

The prolonged delay has devastated the livelihoods of the estimated 300 to 400 former employees and their dependents in the Bogoso-Prestea community, with basic access to education and healthcare now compromised.

Mr. Madobi painted a grim picture of the community’s deterioration:

"We have to eat. I mean, our kids have dropped out of school. I mean, for health care, they (the ex-workers) are not able to access just healthcare and education. Meanwhile, the company owes them,” Mr Madobi stressed.

The workers, many of whom were "essential workers" who remained at home to protect the mine's assets, are now being denied the financial means to survive while they await future job opportunities.

The Final Appeal: Government Must 'Write the Wrongs'

In a final, desperate plea, the former employees urged the government to acknowledge the breach of trust and the failure of its vetting process. They demanded that the state actively intervene to prevent further damage to the community and the national economy through the continued mismanagement of the Bogoso mine, which is Ghana’s largest concession.

“What we are telling the government is that it is not too late. The government should sit down, go back to the drawing board and write the wrongs. The government has to investigate the capacity of Heath’s Gold Fields and look at bringing somebody who has the competence financially to run the operation so we can all have peace," Mr Addo emphasised.

The workers' appeal places the responsibility squarely on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to ensure that the mining sector operates under the rule of law and upholds the basic human rights of its workforce.