A fierce dispute has erupted over the financial health and regulatory transparency of the Bogoso–Prestea Gold Mine, as the Coalition of Concerned Citizens has formally petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to investigate what it describes as a "deceptive" acquisition process by Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL).

At the same time, the petition, submitted on Tuesday, January 20, directly refutes HGL’s recent public claims that it has settled its legacy liabilities, with millions of millions of dollars still outstanding.

While the company celebrated a GHS 136 million payment to ex-workers on Monday, January 19, 2026, the coalition argues this sum is merely a fraction of the over $15 in outstanding debts inherited during the controversial lease transfer.

The "Seven-Day" Promise and Financial Discrepancies

According to the coalition, the cornerstone of HGL's successful bid in October 2024 was a Strategic Mine Development Plan which promised the Minerals Commission that all employee entitlements would be settled within seven days of a union agreement.

The petition alleges that HGL leveraged a purported $50 million funding line from Yilmaden Holding to secure its leases. However, the coalition claims this capital injection never manifested in a way that benefited the creditors.

“Interestingly, Heath Goldfields could not even pay the two months outstanding salaries out of ten months on or before December 13, 2024,” the petition stated, characterizing the pegging of payment deadlines to the lease issuance date as a “clear deception” designed to bypass ministerial scrutiny.

Procedural "Haste" and Regulatory Lapses

The coalition has raised a red flag over the conduct of the Minerals Commission under its former CEO, Martin Kwaku Ayisi. Records show that while the commission set three specific preconditions for the acquisition in a letter dated November 14, 2024, the final mining leases were signed on December 13—reportedly before those conditions were met.

The petition points to a timeline of delayed payments that suggests HGL was struggling for liquidity from the outset:

• Salary Arrears: Two months of back-pay promised for December 2024 were only settled between March and July 2025.
• Provident Fund: Contributions were delayed until September 2025.
• Contract Endings: Final payments for certain contracts were pushed to December 2025.

The Human Cost: Severance and SSNIT Still Outstanding

Despite the GHS 136 million payout, the coalition insists that the most critical "legacy" burdens remain unresolved. Hundreds of former workers are reportedly still waiting for:

• Severance Pay: Legally mandated redundancy packages.

• SSNIT & Tier 2 Pensions: Statutory obligations that affect long-term social security.

• Former Management Salaries: Significant arrears owed to senior staff.

In light of the foregoing, the Coalition requests that the appropriate state authorities institute an independent and comprehensive investigation into the acquisition, financing, and operational conduct of Heath Goldfields Limited in relation to the Bogoso–Prestea Mine.

Such an investigation, the group said, should, among others, examine:

1. The accuracy and completeness of representations made regarding ownership, control, and financial backing.
2. The due diligence processes undertaken by the Minerals Commission prior to recommending the grant of the mining leases.
3. Compliance with preconditions and post-approval obligations attached to the mining leases.
4. The status of outstanding employee entitlements and statutory obligations.
5. Any regulatory lapses or procedural irregularities that may have occurred in the issuance of the mining leases.

“Pending the outcome of such investigations, appropriate remedial measures should be taken to safeguard workers’ rights, protect state interests, and preserve the integrity of Ghana’s mining sector”, the Coalition, led by Gabriel Madobi, stated in the latest petition.