The Wassa Fiase Traditional Council has unanimously called on the government not to renew Gold Fields Ghana Limited’s mining leases when they expire in April 2027, demanding instead that the Tarkwa Gold Mine be transferred to state ownership and operated by a local mining contractor.
The chiefs say decades of mining in the area have not brought enough development to host communities, citing poor roads and infrastructure, inadequate corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects and delays in the payment of royalties.
At a meeting of the Traditional Council on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the chiefs appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and the government to give a capable Ghanaian investor the opportunity to take over the mine.
They argued that transferring the mine to indigenous ownership would help ensure that more of the benefits from its operations go towards developing host communities and the national economy.
The demand has also received support from the Apinto Divisional Council, within whose jurisdiction the mine is located. The Council has petitioned the government against renewing Gold Fields' mining leases and is calling for the concession to be transferred to a Ghanaian investor.
Nana Adu Panyin of the Apinto Divisional Council raised concerns about delays in the payment of royalties due to the traditional area.
The Queen Mother of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, Nana Abena Konadwoa II, expressed disappointment with Gold Fields' contribution to community development, arguing that the benefits received by residents were inadequate compared with the years of mining activity.
She referred to the company's profits in 2025 and the first half of 2026, comparing them with royalties paid and CSR projects undertaken, to highlight what she described as an inadequate contribution to community development and government revenue. However, specific figures were not provided at the meeting.
Nana Abena Konadwoa II also pointed to the poor state of roads and other infrastructure in Wassa Fiase, saying repeated appeals for support had not yielded the expected results.
She contrasted the situation with development projects emerging in the Damang enclave following the transfer of the Damang Mine to Ghanaian ownership.
She cited improvements in roads, hospitals, an astroturf facility and an airport project as examples of what indigenous ownership could achieve.
She appealed to President Mahama to support the chiefs' demand and ensure that the Tarkwa mine is transferred to a Ghanaian investor when the existing leases expire.
Other traditional leaders, including Nana Kwabena Gyan II, Nana Sompreh, Divisional Chief of Bogoso, and Nana Nteboah Prah, Divisional Chief of Prestea-Heman, also backed the call for the mine to be handed over to an indigenous investor.
Tarkwa mine's lease expires in April 2027
The Tarkwa Gold Mine is one of Ghana's major gold-producing operations and is operated by Gold Fields Ghana Limited.
The mine covers approximately 20,825 hectares under five mining leases dated April 18, 1997. The leases are due to expire in April 2027, making its future ownership a major issue for the government and host communities.
Gold Fields entered the Tarkwa operation in 1993 through a management contract with the government before developing its open-pit mining operations.
In 2011, the company acquired IAMGold's 18.9 percent interest in the mine, increasing its stake to 90 per cent, while the Ghanaian government retained the remaining 10 per cent.
The mine has undergone several expansions and operational changes over the years, including the introduction of a carbon-in-leach processing plant and a return to contractor mining in 2018.
With the leases approaching expiry, the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council insists that the next phase of the mine's operations should deliver greater benefits to Ghanaian communities.
The chiefs are therefore urging the government to reject a renewal of Gold Fields' leases and consider transferring the operation to a capable Ghanaian investor.
Wassa Fiase traditional leaders are opposing the renewal of Gold Fields Ghana Limited’s mining lease at Tarkwa, citing decades of limited development despite extensive gold extraction. They are calling for a Ghanaian-owned entity to take over.
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) November 4, 2026
#3NewsGH https://t.co/Ivq8eVn8e6
