In the third week of May, 2026, the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEITI) undertook a week-long fact-finding mission to the Bogoso – Prestea mining enclave. This was in response to a request from Heath Goldfields to help address a growing incidence of disinformation and misinformation regarding its legal status, company’s contractual performance, including liquidation of legacy debts inherited at the acquisition of the Prestea – Bogoso gold mining concession.

Summary of Findings
The following are the key findings made by the GHEITI mission:

●    HGL inherited a severely distressed mine operationally shut, flooded underground, with deteriorated infrastructure, and carrying substantial legacy liabilities from prior operators, Golden Star Resources and Future Global Resources (FGR). Rehabilitation, dewatering, and phased operational recovery are progressing quite well.

●    Community tensions arose primarily from three overlapping dynamics: (i) the initial absence of formal stakeholder engagement before operations recommenced; (ii) unresolved legacy obligations (severance, SSNIT, GRA payments) from predecessor companies; and (iii) deep-seated employment expectations that the company has not yet satisfied.

●    The Catchment Area Community Alliance (CACA), which catalysed the public agitations, originated among former workers disputing unresolved severance claims. Multiple stakeholders, including the MCE and traditional leaders, observed that CACA's activities later acquired political and commercial dimensions, including alleged external financing by parties with competing investment interests in the mine.

●    Illegal mining (galamsey) on the concession during its inactive period created a secondary conflict dynamic when HGL sought to reclaim it; this contributed to community tensions and coincided with organised demonstrations.

●    HGL has made demonstrable progress: salary arrears settled; a recent severance tranche of approximately US$4.9 million paid; a structured grievance mechanism and Community Mine Consultative Committee (CMCC) established; and a Five-Year Community Development Plan launched with an annual commitment of approximately US$1 million per divisional area.

●    Significant concerns persist regarding: local employment and local content, with youth demonstrators explicitly citing recruitment of workers from outside the catchment communities; the transparency and timeliness of payments to local service providers; dust and haulage infrastructure impacts; and information asymmetries regarding HGL's regulatory compliance status.

NEXT STEPS
As next steps, GHEITI plans to facilitate a stakeholder forum involving the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Heath Goldfields, Prestea-Huni Valley Municipal Assembly, Traditional Authority, Community-Based Organisations, Youth groups, women’s groups, former mine workers, and faith-based organisations. The forum will deliberate and agree on modalities and time frames for periodic consultations and information sharing, to help bridge the information asymmetry, that has given rise to tensions in the mine catchment communities in recent times.

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