Ghana: Northern Ashanti Mines' Lease Saga - Asante Akyem Chiefs Back Revocation

What the report says

Chiefs in the Asante Akyem area of Ghana’s Ashanti Region have publicly supported the Minerals Commission’s move to revoke the mining lease of Northern Ashanti Mines, arguing that mining firms must be held to the same laws and payment obligations as other operators. According to the report from Ghanaian Times, the chiefs said the decision was justified because the company had allegedly failed to meet statutory requirements tied to its concession.

At a news conference, Nana Tweneboah Kodua Bempah, speaking for Juansamanhene Nana Kwaku Dankwah Opamago Kodie II, said unpaid mineral right fees and limited development of the concession were reasons for backing the revocation. Another local leader, Konongo chief Nana Dr Awuah Abedimsa II, also endorsed the action and urged authorities to ensure any replacement operator has the financial and technical capacity to run the mine properly.

The Minerals Commission said in a statement dated October 27, 2026, that the termination was carried out under Ghana’s mining laws and related agreements. It said Northern Ashanti Mines owed about US$8.33 million in annual mineral right fees and nearly US$49,928 in prospecting licence fees, and that notices to resolve the breaches were not acted on. The Commission also said the company had not carried out meaningful mining activity on the concession for more than two years.

The dispute matters because it highlights enforcement of mining regulations, fee collection and expectations that mining projects deliver local development. The Commission’s chief executive, Isaac Tandoh, rejected suggestions of bad faith and said official records showed lower payments than the company had claimed.