The Apinto Divisional Council, the traditional owners of the land on which GoldFields Ghana’s Tarkwa Mine operates, has reportedly resolved to oppose the renewal of the company’s mining lease, The Chronicle has gathered.
Highly placed sources has told this reporter that the traditional authorities have concluded deliberations following their inspection of the mine earlier this week and have agreed to call on the government not to renew Gold Fields’ mining lease when it expires in April 2027.
The Council is expected to officially announce its position at a press conference on today (Friday).
For chiefs who have constantly praise and commend the mining company for the level of infrastructural development it has brought to host communities to make a sudden U-turn has come come as a surprise to many in Tarkwa most especially the youth who have been key beneficiary of the mine scholarship and apprentice and Graduate training program and many more.
According to information available to The Chronicle, the chiefs reached the decision after assessing what they described as the company’s limited impact on the customary land despite decades of mining activities.
Sources said the Council believes Gold Fields has not delivered sufficient development to justify the extension of its mineral rights and is therefore expected to urge government to reject the company’s application for a lease renewal.
The expected announcement is likely to have significant implications for the future of Gold Fields Ghana’s operations, as the position of the Apinto Divisional Council is expected to carry considerable influence in ongoing consultations over the lease renewal.
Although the final decision rests with the government, the views of the traditional landowners are regarded as a critical factor in the lease renewal process.
Background
The anticipated announcement follows an inspection tour undertaken earlier this week by about ten titled chiefs of the Apinto Divisional Stool, the customary owners of the land on which Gold Fields operates.
The inspection, though described by the company as part of its routine stakeholder engagement, attracted widespread public interest because it coincided with discussions over the renewal of the company’s mining lease.
Speaking after the inspection, the Gyasehene of the Apinto Divisional Stool, Nana Adarkwa Bediako, said the chiefs had deliberately toured the mine to acquaint themselves with its operations before taking a decision.
He explained that there had been considerable public debate surrounding the lease renewal and that the traditional authorities considered it prudent to inspect the mine firsthand before arriving at a verdict.
On its part, Gold Fields Ghana had expressed optimism that its long-standing relationship with the host communities would earn it the support of the traditional authorities.
The company’s Executive Vice President and immediate past President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Michael Akafia, maintained that Gold Fields had consistently engaged the traditional leaders through the Tarkwa Community Consultative Committee and had invested heavily in community development, environmental stewardship, local employment and procurement.
Mr. Akafia said the company had no doubt that its record of investment in the host communities presented a compelling case for the renewal of its lease.
However, information available to The Chronicle suggests the traditional authorities have taken a different view after their internal deliberations.
If confirmed at Friday’s press conference, the Council’s position will mark a major setback for Gold Fields Ghana as it seeks government approval to continue mining beyond the expiration of its current lease in April 2027.
The development is expected to generate intense debate within the mining sector, government circles and the host communities, given the strategic importance of the Tarkwa Mine to Ghana’s mining industry and the influential role of customary landowners in matters relating to natural resource governance.
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