The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, has stated that the government is poised to run the operations of the Damang Gold Mine.

This comes after the government announced its decision not to renew Gold Fields’ Damang mining lease, which expires on April 18, 2025.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Isaac Tandoh mentioned that several mines within Damang were largely operated by Ghanaians.

Therefore, claims that Ghanaians lack the technical know-how for the job were inaccurate.

“In all the meetings I have been in and all the discussions I have had, we are looking at the state running the mine. No individual will be made to do that,” he said.

“The whole of the Damang stretch is run by only one expatriate. In Tarkwa, Ghanaians are running the mines, and the same applies to Ahafo. So, the issue of human capacity or technical know-how is neither here nor there,” he added.

The decision not to renew the mining lease comes as the current 30-year lease, originally granted on April 18, 1995, is set to expire on April 18, 2025.

The government has stated that this move aligns with its broader mission to reset the nation’s economic landscape.

A 2023 Annual Report by Gold Fields revealed that mining in Damang ended in 2023 after the depletion of the Huni pits.

According to the report, the mine intended to process stockpiles until the end of 2025.

SA/MA

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