The Wassa Fiase Traditional Council has called on the Ghanaian government to refuse the renewal of Gold Fields Ghana Limited’s Tarkwa mining lease and to allow a local operator to take over the operation.
At a council meeting, the chiefs unanimously backed the demand, arguing that development in host communities had fallen short of their expectations after decades of mining. The traditional leaders raised concerns about what they described as broken promises and inadequate benefits from the gold extracted from their lands.
They want government to make community development a central consideration in determining the future of the mine. Chief of Mahamo, Nana Kobina Gyan II, supported the resolution and dismissed suggestions that the council was acting out of hostility or under outside influence, insisting that Ghanaians should be given the opportunity to demonstrate their capacity to manage the country’s mineral resources.
Other divisional chiefs echoed similar concerns, calling for mining activities to deliver lasting improvements in the lives of residents. The Tarkwa mining leases are due for renewal in April 2027. Gold Fields has applied for their renewal and has been engaging government on the process.
In an earlier response to objections raised by the Apinto Divisional Council, Gold Fields disputed claims that its operations had failed to deliver substantial benefits. The company cited employment, payments to government, procurement from Ghanaian businesses and investments through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation. It also said its lease renewal proposal included measures to increase local participation, support skills development and expand benefits to host communities.
The July response addressed the Apinto council’s concerns rather than the latest resolution by the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council.
What follows is a debate over who should control the mine and how the benefits of gold extraction will be shared with the communities that have long hosted the operations.
