Ghanaian mining rights revocation dispute

A dispute has emerged between Ghana’s Minerals Commission and local mining companies, including Northern Ashanti Mines Limited (NAML), Adamus Resources, and Narawa Mines, regarding the revocation of mining rights. The Minerals Commission maintains that the termination of leases and prospecting licenses, specifically NAML’s Konongo concession, was conducted in accordance with the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006. The Commission alleges that NAML failed to conduct meaningful mining operations for over two years and owes approximately US$8.33 million in outstanding Annual Mineral Right fees, alongside nearly US$50,000 in prospecting licence arrears, with debt accumulating since 2010.

NAML has rejected these allegations, describing the Commission’s claims as containing “falsehoods, untruths and half-truths.” The company disputes the debt amount, arguing much of it is a legacy obligation from previous operators, and maintains it received no required notice of breach before the enforcement action. In response to the escalating conflict, NAML has initiated legal action against the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, and the Attorney-General. Minerals Commission CEO Isaac Tandoh has urged the firm to resolve the dispute through the judicial process rather than the media.

Civil society groups, including IMANI Africa and the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), have criticized the Commission’s actions. Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has raised concerns regarding a perceived trend of politically connected individuals seizing Ghanaian-owned mines, suggesting such regulatory actions could undermine national indigenisation efforts. Industry experts have previously urged the Commission to adopt a less confrontational approach, such as negotiating payment plans, to avoid discouraging investment.