Former Bogoso-Prestea Mine workers cry for justice as promised payments remain unfulfilled

Draped in red shirts, headbands, and armbands a symbol of frustration and defiance some former workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine have staged a protest, demanding immediate payment of their outstanding entitlements from Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL).

The aggrieved ex-workers, who gathered at Bogoso on Thursday, 30th October, say their patience has run out after months of unmet promises and shifting payment schedules following the reassignment of the mine’s lease to HGL nearly a year ago.

In a press statement issued on October 31, 2025, the group accused Heath Goldfields of betraying the trust of Ghanaian mine workers and flouting clear directives from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to settle all outstanding compensation.

“Our patience has been stretched to its limit. The time for promises has passed,” the statement read.

The Bogoso-Prestea Mine once a major source of gold and livelihoods for thousands has endured years of turbulence. In October 2020, Future Global Resources (FGR) acquired the mine from Golden Star Resources but soon plunged into operational and financial difficulties, sparking agitation among workers.

After several months of tension, the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources revoked FGR’s lease in late 2024 and reassigned it to Heath Goldfields Limited, which was expected to stabilize operations, clear all outstanding debts, and revitalize the mine.

However, nearly a year on, the former employees say those assurances have yielded nothing but disappointment.

The former workers allege that since taking over, HGL has engaged in unfair labour practices, selective payments, and a lack of transparency. They further claim that gold-bearing materials have been moved off-site in breach of operational protocols.

While the company began partial payments to some workers following a May 2025 intervention by the current Lands Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, many remain unpaid.

“Without the Minister’s intervention, not a single non-unionized worker would have received any compensation,” the group acknowledged, but noted that “five months after his directive, the company continues to defy both moral and legal obligations.”

Under Ghana’s Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), terminated workers are entitled to full payment of all benefits — including salaries, provident fund contributions, accrued leave, and severance packages.

But according to the workers, HGL has failed to meet these obligations despite committing in an internal memo dated August 27, 2025, to settle arrears by September 2025. A follow-up memo on October 6, 2025, extended the deadline to December, a move the workers describe as “a breach of faith and a sign of financial weakness.”

The group is now appealing to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, and other relevant authorities to take urgent action.

Their demands include:

1. Compelling Heath Goldfields to pay all outstanding entitlements, including provident fund arrears, bonuses, and redundancy packages.
2. Conducting a comprehensive financial and operational audit of the company to assess its capacity and compliance with lease conditions.

They warn that the situation has become “untenable” as many of them after decades of service in the mining sector are struggling to feed their families.

“The dignity, livelihoods, and rights of Ghanaian mine workers must not be sacrificed at the altar of empty assurances,” the statement concluded

The troubles at Bogoso-Prestea mirror wider concerns in Ghana’s mining sector, where frequent ownership changes and weak regulatory compliance often leave workers vulnerable.

With tensions once again mounting at one of the country’s historic gold mines, the call for government intervention has grown louder as the red-clad former workers of Bogoso-Prestea vow to keep their voices raised until justice is served.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.