A formal petition has been submitted to the President of the Republic of Ghana calling for an independent investigation into the acquisition and operation of the Bogoso–Prestea Mine by Heath Goldfields Limited, citing alleged misrepresentation, failure to meet financial commitments, and regulatory lapses.

The petition on Monday, January 19, by the Coalition of Concerned Citizens-Bogoso Prestea, addressed to the Presidency and copied to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), raises concerns about the integrity of the process that led to the grant of mining leases to Heath Goldfields in December 2024.

According to the petitioners, led by Gabriel Madobi, one of many workers laid off at the mines, the Bogoso–Prestea Mine—one of Ghana’s oldest and most strategic gold mining assets—was awarded to Heath Goldfields following the termination of FGR Bogoso Prestea Mine’s leases in September 2024 due to insolvency and failure to meet statutory and employee obligations.

Heath Goldfields was recommended by the Minerals Commission based on its claimed technical expertise and strong financial backing from Yilmaden Holding, the mining arm of Turkey’s Yıldırım Group.

However, the petition questions whether Heath Goldfields is in fact a bona fide subsidiary of Yilmaden, noting that public records of Yıldırım Group subsidiaries do not list Heath Goldfields. It further points out that Heath Goldfields was incorporated in Ghana in February 2024 with a stated capital of GHS 10,000, raising doubts about its capacity to independently finance the mine.

Central to the petition is the allegation that Heath Goldfields failed to honour its stated commitment to inject up to US$500 million into the Bogoso–Prestea Mine, including an initial US$50 million meant to immediately settle workers’ salaries, statutory liabilities, and critical operational costs.

The petition claims that employee entitlements, which were supposed to be paid within seven days of lease award, were instead paid partially and over a period of nearly one year, with several obligations—including severance, SSNIT, Tier 2 pension contributions, and some salaries—still outstanding.

The petition also alleges that the mining leases were issued on 13 December 2024 despite key preconditions not being met, including the payment of outstanding worker salaries agreed under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union.

It describes this as a material deviation from the commitments in Heath Goldfields’ Strategic Mine Development Plan, which had given the company an advantage over other bidders.

In addition, the petition reports that more than 400 workers have been laid off since Heath Goldfields assumed control, contradicting assurances that the company’s financial strength would stabilise operations and preserve jobs in the Bogoso and Prestea communities.

Further concerns are raised about alleged failures to execute major capital and maintenance projects for the processing plant and underground mining operations, despite detailed procurement schedules and budgets submitted to the Minerals Commission. Petitioners argue that the absence of critical equipment on site suggests material misrepresentation during the bidding process.

In October 2025, the Minerals Commission reportedly issued a 120-day notice to Heath Goldfields to remedy breaches of its mining leases, citing lack of funding and failure to meet development commitments. The petition notes that, as of the date of submission, no final decision has been announced despite the alleged breaches remaining unresolved.

The petitioners are calling for a comprehensive investigation into the ownership structure, financial backing, regulatory due diligence, compliance with lease conditions, and the status of employee entitlements. They argue that the issues surrounding Heath Goldfields mirror the same operational and financial distress that led to the termination of the previous operator’s leases.

They urge state authorities to take appropriate remedial measures to protect workers’ rights, safeguard national interests, and preserve the integrity of Ghana’s mining sector pending the outcome of any investigations.

Mr Madobi and another member of the coalition, Philip Kofi, repeated the concerns on JoyNews’ AM Show on Tuesday, January 20, to compel the government to act on the concerns raised.

Responding to the development on the AM Show, General Secretary of the Ghana Mineworkers' Union, Abdul-Moomin Gbana, explained that contrary to the concerns, Health Goldfields has met its obligations.

 “I must say that all the commitments the union has made with Health Goldfields, i.e., in respect of our members, all the payments that are supposed to be paid according to the memorandum of understanding that we have signed with them, Health Goldfields hasn’t reneged at all ”.

He said the indebtedness was a legacy debt that Health Goldfields has shown commitment towards settling.

Asked by the host if Heath Goldfields has the capacity to operate the Bogoso-Prestea Mine, Mr Gbana replied, “As far as I am concerned, if you take a visit to the mine, you will realise that what has to be done has been done ”.

But the Concerned Citizens maintained that consumables and other important measures needed for successful operations have not been implemented.

In a related development, Heath Goldfields Ltd said in a press statement on December 19 that it had paid a total of GHS 136 million to settle outstanding legacy liabilities owed to former workers of its Bogoso-Prestea Mine.

Management of the company described the settlement as part of a broader strategy to address historical liabilities while reinforcing its commitment to responsible mining and regulatory compliance.

Heath Goldfields added that the payment was made in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreed with the Ghana Mineworkers' Union (GMWU).