Ghanaian Chiefs Urge Government to Reject Renewal of Gold Fields' Tarkwa Mine Lease

The Apinto Divisional Council, the traditional custodians of land in Ghana’s Western Region, has formally asked the Government of Ghana not to renew the mining lease of Gold Fields Ghana Limited for the Tarkwa Mine, which is due to expire in April 2027. The council argues that decades of mining by Gold Fields and AngloGold Ashanti have caused extensive environmental damage – more than 4,000 hectares of Apinto lands are reported degraded – while delivering limited socio‑economic benefits to host communities.

Council leaders, including Dr Bediako Adarkwa, called for the lease to be transferred to a Ghanaian‑owned or government‑owned operation under a “shared prosperity” model, asserting that this would maximize national economic interest and give traditional authorities and locals genuine partnership in ownership, governance and benefits of the mine. They appealed to the government, Parliament and the Minerals Commission to consider the proposal when deciding the mine’s future.