Gold Fields Ghana has strongly defended its bid to renew the Tarkwa mining lease, stressing that its three-decade partnership with Western Region communities has delivered major economic benefits to the country.
The defence comes after chiefs and people of the Apinto Divisional Council in Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality called on the government to transfer the concession to a wholly Ghanaian-owned company when the current lease expires in April 2027. They argue that local ownership would allow Ghanaians to capture greater value from the nation’s mineral wealth instead of leaving it under foreign control.
At a news conference, the Gyasehene of the Apinto Divisional Council, Nana (Dr) Adarkwa Bediako II, described the moment as a historic chance for Ghana to maximise returns from its natural resources and correct long-standing imbalances between extraction and community development.
Gold Fields responded in a statement issued on Monday, 27 July 2026. The company said it has maintained regular, transparent engagement with the Apinto Divisional Council and community representatives through the Tarkwa Mine Community Consultative Committee, community forums and other structures that include traditional authorities. These platforms, it noted, have long provided avenues to discuss operations, environmental management, rehabilitation and the lease-renewal process.
For more than 30 years the Tarkwa mine has ranked among Ghana’s largest and most productive gold operations. Gold Fields said its renewal proposal was shaped by priorities raised in those ongoing consultations and aims to deepen local participation, expand community benefits, increase local procurement, support skills development and create lasting socio-economic value.
The company highlighted its economic footprint: roughly 74 cents of every dollar generated by the mine stays in Ghana through taxes, royalties, dividends linked to the government’s 10 per cent free-carried interest, salaries, local procurement and community spending. In 2025 alone it paid about GH¢5.8 billion to the state in corporate taxes, royalties, dividends and other statutory payments. Local procurement totalled approximately GH¢8.8 billion nationwide, including GH¢6.5 billion directed to suppliers from host communities. Ninety-nine per cent of its workforce is Ghanaian, and about 70 per cent of Tarkwa employees come from the surrounding communities.
Community investment is channelled mainly through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, whose projects are selected by community representatives and traditional leaders. To date the Foundation has spent more than US$110 million on infrastructure, education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, enterprise development and environmental conservation. Signature projects include the 33-kilometre Tarkwa-Damang asphalt road, the Tarkwa and Abosso Sports Stadium, more than 52 schools, scholarships, an Artificial Intelligence SmartLab, skills programmes, health facilities and water systems.
On the environmental front, Gold Fields said it has invested about US$4.2 million in rehabilitation since 2016. Work proceeds alongside mining and covers reforestation, biodiversity restoration and the creation of productive farmland. More than 818,000 trees have been planted since 1998, with over 33,000 seedlings currently growing in the company nursery. The mine has held ISO 14001 Environmental Management certification for 23 years and International Cyanide Management Code certification for 18 years, remaining fully compliant with Ghanaian regulations.
Gold Fields submitted its lease-renewal application in November 2025 and followed up with a formal proposal in July 2026. It continues to engage the relevant authorities while maintaining dialogue with traditional leaders, employees and communities. The company emphasised that mineral resources are held by the state in trust for the people of Ghana and that it respects the legal framework governing the process.
Addressing the Apinto Divisional Council’s recent position, Gold Fields said the council’s stance does not reflect the broader partnership or the company’s record of community investment. It noted recent meetings with the council and pledged continued constructive engagement. While details of the renewal proposal remain under discussion with government, the company described its approach as forward-looking and designed to increase investment in Tarkwa and share more value with stakeholders.
Gold Fields pointed to its earlier constructive role in the transition of the Damang mine to local Ghanaian ownership as evidence of its willingness to support greater Ghanaian participation. Tarkwa, however, is a larger and more complex operation that requires substantial capital, technical expertise and long-term operational capacity. The company argued it is best placed to deliver the next phase of the mine, combining deeper local participation with international technology, experience and financing capacity.
It expressed support for Ghana’s ambition to raise local participation and maximise mineral benefits, but insisted this must be achieved in ways that uphold the rule of law, preserve investor confidence, and keep Ghana an attractive destination for international capital. Protecting jobs, supporting local businesses, and ensuring responsible mining continue to deliver long-term value remain central to its proposal.
Meanwhile, the Apinto Divisional Council has pressed its case for a shift to Ghanaian ownership. Nana Bediako said the traditional authority fully supports the creation of a state-owned mining operation in Tarkwa.
“We believe this initiative will usher in a new era of inclusive, responsible, and sustainable mining that benefits both the nation and its host communities,” he said.
“It is our considered view that the transition from a foreign-owned mine to a Ghanaian-owned mining enterprise will not only advance Ghana’s national economic interests, but will also ensure that the traditional authorities and host communities of Apinto, whose ancestral lands have sustained mining for generations, benefit,” said Nana Bediako.
He noted that the council has observed the presence of multinational companies, including Gold Fields Ghana and AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem, for decades.
“However, despite their long presence in our area, their operations have not contributed significantly to the overall development of the host communities.
A recent tour of the Gold Fields Ghana mine in Tarkwa by the Apinto Divisional Council revealed that more than 4,000 hectares of Apinto lands have been degraded, depriving many young people and indigenous communities of their livelihoods, access to farmlands, and the effective enjoyment of their surface rights,” Nana Bediako said.
He argued that the development support provided so far does not match the scale of land degradation and the socio-economic challenges facing the communities, including poor roads, inadequate schools, limited healthcare facilities, and youth unemployment.
“We must state that the level of development support provided by Gold Fields Ghana is not commensurate with the extent of the degradation of our lands and the socio-economic challenges confronting our communities.”
The council has prepared an Apinto Shared Prosperity Proposal for submission to the government.
“Today, we want to inform the people of Ghana that the Apinto Divisional Council has developed an Apinto Shared Prosperity Proposal, which will be submitted to the government of Ghana for its consideration and approval.
“Our proposal is founded on the principles of history, justice, equity, and sustainable development. Long before colonial rule, the people of Wassa Fiase were the original owners, regulators, and beneficiaries of gold mining,” Nana Bediako said.
“The Apinto Divisional Council supports responsible mining and welcomes investment.
However, we believe that the next phase of mining in the Tarkwa-Apinto area must move beyond royalties and handouts in the form of corporate social responsibility projects towards a genuine partnership among the government, investors, and host communities.
It presents a practical model that balances national interests, investor confidence, and meaningful community participation,” he said.
The Tarkwa mine remains one of Ghana’s most important gold assets. A decision by the Minerals Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is expected in the coming months. Gold Fields has presented its economic, social, and environmental record as the basis for continued operatorship, while the Apinto traditional authority insists the time has come for greater Ghanaian control.
