Disengaged workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine have escalated their standoff with the current operator, Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL), by demanding severance packages owed to more than 400 ex-staff.

At a charged press conference held at the Ghana International Press Centre on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Convenor of the Former Workers of Bogoso Prestea-Mines Union, Gabriel Madobi, detailed the plight of members who have to fend for themselves and their families for several months without any source of funds.

He told MyJoyOnline that five members have lost their lives as they battled illness, depression and frustration, having worked for several years and been laid off without any financial compensation.

“When Health Goldfields came, they promised to pay everything – SSNIT contributions, Provident Fund, leave balances and a redundancy package – but you keep on rescheduling the date, and it’s been more than two years,” he lamented.

The workers, who gathered at a news conference dressed in red attire to register their grievances, formally rejected a payment schedule based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Mine Workers Union.

"We wish to state clearly that we are not bound by this MoU. It does not align with the Labour Act, and, by its very nature, does not create the same enforceable obligations as statutory law."

They declared the MoU "unlawful" and non-binding, demanding their severance and outstanding entitlements be paid immediately under the provisions of Ghana's primary labour legislation.

The move marks a significant hardening of the workers' position, who assert that HGL’s failure to settle debts after years of management proves the company’s lack of financial capacity.

They now demand that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Armah Kofi Buah, force HGL to "step aside" for a more capable firm.

HGL inherited the mining lease on the premise of clearing legacy debts and stabilising operations following the termination of the previous operator, Future Global Resources (FGR).

However, the new management proceeded to disengage a "substantial number of employees" under the guise of "operational restructuring" and placing the mine under "care and maintenance".

The workers provided a clear timeline of HGL's failed payment commitments:

• August 27, 2025 (Memo): HGL promised to settle all outstanding Provident Fund contributions by the end of August , and finalize payments to disengaged workers by the end of September.
• November 19, 2025 (Current Status): Only about half of the affected workers have received their Provident Fund contributions. End of Contract Benefits, Outstanding Leave Balances, and the 2023 Bonus remain unpaid.
• October 6, 2025 (Revised Memo): The company further shook workers' confidence by extending the payment deadline to December 2025.

They cited the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), Section 18, which "makes it clear... that all outstanding remuneration must be paid upon termination of employment".

They state that the minister's directives to HGL, which included a fresh 120-day notice to address all outstanding entitlements, reinforce this statutory obligation.

The workers painted a grim picture of the consequences resulting from the prolonged delays, stressing that HGL’s failures have destroyed their ability to live with dignity.

“The human cost and suffering caused by this disengagement is undeniable. The livelihoods of long-serving, hard-working Ghanaians have been destroyed. Many had believed that Heath Goldfields, being the new operator, would bring relief, but instead, we now face joblessness, uncertainty, and financial distress.”

They revealed that their families are struggling to afford food, education, and healthcare , and tragically, “Some workers have died without receiving their lawful entitlements.”

In their final appeal to Mr Armah Kofi Buah, the workers demanded immediate action, arguing that HGL's track record demonstrates an inability to operate a major national asset sustainably.

“It has become increasingly clear that Heath Goldfields cannot live up to their financial obligations under the lease acquisition; the time has come for them to step aside for a more financially capable operator to be brought on board to operate the Bogoso-Prestea Mine.”