Wisdom Edem Gomashie is a mining consultant
A mining consultant, Wisdom Edem Gomashie, has commended the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, for what he describes as a fair and measured response to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Bogoso-Prestea Mine.
Ing Wisdom Edem Gomashie, a respected industry expert, said the minister’s decision to issue a remediation directive, rather than immediately terminating Heath Goldfields’ lease, reflects adherence to due process and respect for the rule of law.
In a detailed statement released on Saturday, and made available to GhanaWeb, Gomashie praised the ministry’s July 5 notice, which gave Heath Goldfields 120 days to address compliance breaches under Ghana’s Minerals & Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (LI 2176).
He noted that the directive is a refreshing departure from previous arbitrary actions and called for strict adherence to the remediation timeline.
“This is commendable. The ministry did not act on mere sentiments or political pressure but followed due process. This reinforces Ghana as a jurisdiction where mining investments are protected by law,” he said.
However, Ing Gomashie warned of serious legal and reputational risks if the government fails to navigate the issue carefully.
He added that Bogoso-Prestea’s troubled past — including previous leaseholder Future Global Resources’ (FGR) failure and ongoing legal disputes — continues to complicate the mine’s future.
Heath Goldfields, which took over the lease in November 2024, is already grappling with similar financial challenges, and faces court injunctions filed by FGR.
Gomashie questioned whether government agencies had thoroughly vetted Heath Goldfields’ financial capacity before awarding the lease.
“Have we learned from the mistakes with FGR? Investors cannot raise funds for a project entangled in lawsuits,” he stressed, adding that political interference may have contributed to poor investor selection in the past.
He also raised concerns about whether technical recommendations from the Minerals Commission were ignored in favour of politically connected investors— a pattern he warned could leave mining communities and workers to suffer.
Among the key cautionary points he raised were that any move to prematurely revoke Heath Goldfields’ lease could expose Ghana to international litigation, potentially stalling the mine indefinitely.
He also urged the government to fully resolve the ongoing legal battle with FGR to create the certainty needed for investors to fund the project.
Also, he called for transparency and adherence to the remediation process as being essential for Ghana’s investment reputation and for the welfare of affected workers and host communities.
Ing Wisdom Gomashie also urged the government to draw lessons from successful interventions like the revival of AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine in 2019, suggesting a collaborative, bipartisan approach could help save Bogoso-Prestea.
In a strong recommendation, he called for an immediate review of the Minerals Commission’s investor evaluation framework to prevent future crises.
“Political interference must be stopped. Technical evaluations should guide mining deals, not political expediency,” he cautioned.
Heath Goldfields, he noted, now has the responsibility to raise the necessary funds, pay outstanding debts, and restore operations at the mine or risk losing their rights.
Finally, he advised government against transferring the lease to yet another investor without fully exhausting legal, financial, and operational remedies.
“Rushing to replace Heath Goldfields without a clear, transparent process would only deepen the mine’s woes and reinforce perceptions of state capture,” he concluded.
Read his full statement below:
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