CSOs warn against offshore gold exploration

Some civil society organisations (CSOs) have commended the government for suspending offshore gold reconnaissance activities but called for the complete revocation of all such licences in Ghana’s waters.

The 14 organisations include the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), Global Fisheries and Resilience Action (GFRA), Hen Mpoano (HM), Oceana, Friends of the Nation (FoN) and the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC).

In a letter dated October 13, 2026, and addressed to the President, the groups said the suspension was a step in the right direction but was not enough to address their concerns about the potential impact of offshore mineral exploration on fisheries and coastal communities.

“The principles of sustainability, transparency and stewardship must guide the future of Ghana’s oceans. Any potential benefits associated with offshore mineral development must therefore be carefully weighed against the risks posed to fisheries resources, marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of the millions of Ghanaians who depend on them,” they said.

The CSOs recalled that they petitioned the government on September 28 over the activities of Gold Coast GRC Ghana Ltd on Ghana’s western continental shelf.

They also referred to a letter dated October 5, 2026, from the Minerals Commission, acting on a directive from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, ordering the immediate suspension of all activities under the licences pending the completion of the necessary consultations.

However, the groups said information on the Gold Coast GRC Ghana Ltd website suggested that the activities had not been suspended.

They argued that suspension alone would not resolve the fundamental concerns stakeholders raised.

According to them, the review process should go beyond determining whether the activities could resume and examine whether offshore gold exploration and any eventual seabed mining would be compatible with Ghana’s fisheries, blue economy aspirations, food security objectives and the interests of coastal communities.

They said the ocean was not merely a natural resource but also a source of food, employment, cultural identity and economic survival for millions of Ghanaians.

Consequently, they said, decisions affecting marine ecosystems required the highest standards of transparency, legality, scientific scrutiny and public participation.

The organisations also expressed concern that the licences reportedly covered approximately 10,000 square kilometres of Ghana’s continental shelf, including waters that supported important fisheries resources and the livelihoods of fishing communities.

They further cited concerns raised by the Fisheries Commission about the implications of the licences for the marine environment, fishing activities and communities dependent on the sector.

The CSOs said those concerns reinforced the need for a precautionary approach that prioritised the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s fisheries over the uncertain and potentially irreversible effects of offshore mineral development.

They called for the outcome of the review to comply fully with the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended; the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146); the 1992 Constitution; applicable environmental legislation; and other relevant laws and regulatory requirements.

“The suspension should therefore provide an opportunity not merely for consultation, but for a comprehensive review of whether and under what circumstances the proposed programme can lawfully and responsibly proceed,” they stressed.