About ten titled chiefs of the Apinto Divisional Stool, the traditional owners of the land on which Gold Fields Ghana operates, on Wednesday inspected the mining company’s operational sites ahead of a crucial decision on whether to support the renewal of the company’s mining lease, which expires in April 2027.
The visit, although a routine engagement between the company and the traditional authorities, has assumed heightened significance amid ongoing discussions over the renewal of Gold Fields’ mineral rights.
Following the inspection, the chiefs are expected to meet and deliberate on their observations before announcing their position at a press conference on Friday. Their verdict is expected to influence government’s consideration of the company’s application for a lease extension. Should consensus not be reached, the chiefs are expected to decide the matter through a vote.
Speaking to The Chronicle after the inspection, the Gyasehene of the Apinto Divisional Stool, Nana Adarkwa Bediako, said the traditional leaders wanted to assess the operations firsthand before taking a decision.
“There’s been a lot of discussion about whether the mining lease should be extended or not. Before we can make any decision, we need to see things for ourselves. That is why we came to inspect the mine,” he said.
He noted that the chiefs had gained a better appreciation of the scale of the mining concession during the tour.
“It is a vast land. The concession covers about 20,000 hectares and so far about 4,000 hectares have been exhausted. It is much bigger than many of us imagined, but we will discuss everything among ourselves before taking a final decision,” Nana Adarkwa Bediako stated.
The immediate past President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and Gold Fields Ghana Executive Vice President, Michael Akafia, described the visit as an important stakeholder engagement rather than an event organised solely because of the pending lease renewal.
He acknowledged that the timing of the inspection had naturally attracted public attention because of the ongoing debate over the company’s mineral rights.
“Obviously, everybody knows the times in which we are. There is a raging discussion about our mineral rights and their renewal, so people will naturally link this visit to that debate. But for us, these engagements are part of a continuous process because the traditional authorities are key stakeholders and custodians of the surface rights,” he explained.
According to Mr. Akafia, the inspection afforded Gold Fields the opportunity to account for its stewardship in the areas of community development, environmental management and local investment.
“It gives us the chance to show them what we have done in the communities, our environmental stewardship and the investments we have made. Gold Fields pioneered the establishment of a community foundation that ensures dedicated capital investment in host communities, and as part of our environmental, social and governance commitments, we intend to unlock even greater value for our stakeholders going forward,” he said.
Mr. Akafia disclosed that the company has consistently engaged traditional authorities and other stakeholders through the Tarkwa Community Consultative Committee, which meets every quarter to discuss issues affecting the mine and surrounding communities.
“We have carried our stakeholders along throughout this process. The traditional leaders understand the mine better than many people who comment from afar. They have seen the impact we have made through community investments, employment opportunities, procurement and other development initiatives,” he stated.
Expressing confidence ahead of Friday’s announcement by the chiefs, Mr. Akafia said the company believed its track record made a compelling case for the extension of its lease.
“If we assess this based on the impact we have made in our host communities, we have no doubt that the verdict will support the extension of our lease. We believe there is a compelling case because the extension will enable us to unlock even greater benefits for the communities and all stakeholders,” he said.
The Apinto Divisional Stool’s position is expected to carry considerable weight in the ongoing discussions regarding the future of Gold Fields Ghana’s operations. As the customary owners of the land on which the mine operates, their decision is likely to be closely watched by government, the company, host communities and the wider mining industry.
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