Former Bogoso-Prestea Mine workers cry out over delayed payments

Former workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mines have lamented the severe distress they continue to endure as prolonged delays in payments and unresolved operational challenges devastate their livelihoods.

According to the convenor of the group, Gabriel Madobi, families are struggling to afford food, education and healthcare, while some ex-workers have died without receiving their lawful entitlements.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on November 19, 2025, he said, “Our families are struggling to afford food, education and healthcare. Some workers have died without receiving their lawful entitlements. Elderly and unwell former employees, who gave decades of their lives to the mine, now live in distress because of these prolonged delays in payment and the inefficient operation of the Mine.”

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Madobi recalled that on September 3, 2024, the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, terminated the mining leases of Future Global Resources (FGR) after repeated breaches of contractual obligations.

The decision followed years of unpaid SSNIT contributions, Provident Fund arrears, salaries and bonuses.

Two months later, on November 12, 2024, the lease was reassigned to Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL), a company presented as financially and technically capable of reviving the Mine.

He said workers and residents of Prestea-Bogoso welcomed the change with hope, believing it would clear outstanding debts, stabilise operations and inject fresh capital.

However, those hopes have since been dashed, as Heath Goldfields has failed to meet its obligations.

In August 2025, the company pledged to settle Provident Fund contributions and complete payments due to disengaged workers by September. Yet, as of November 19, 2025, only about half of the affected workers have received their contributions, while severance and redundancy payments remain outstanding.

The workers’ protests prompted the current Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to issue another 120-day notice to Heath Goldfields, directing the company to comply with labour laws and collective agreements.

Despite this directive, Heath Goldfields has still not honoured its commitments.

Protesters further noted that the company’s current efforts are focused primarily on hauling and treating old tailings materials. While tailings reprocessing may yield short-term returns, they stressed that it is not a sustainable strategy for a mine that requires long-term structural rehabilitation and a full production restart.

The former workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mines have therefore called on the Lands Minister to thoroughly examine all field reports and submissions made to him for further action.

They said a fair and conclusive resolution is urgently needed to save and restore the Mine to its former glory and put it back on the path of profitability for future generations.





SA/MA