Renew Gold Fields lease in national interest, Huniso stakeholders

Stakeholders in Ghana's Huniso and surrounding communities are rallying behind the renewal of Gold Fields Ghana Limited's lease for the Tarkwa Mine. Youth groups and opinion leaders have launched a campaign titled "Gold Fields Must Stay for 20 Years," urging the government to prioritize national and community interests over what they term "sectional considerations" in the ongoing lease renewal discussions.

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Gold Fields Must Stay for 20 Years

Representatives from Huniso, Tebe, and Abekoase argue that proposed "Apinto Shared Prosperity Proposals" for local ownership are misleading and could jeopardize the stability and growth of the mining communities. They assert that foreign direct investment, when properly regulated, remains the most reliable engine for sustainable industrial mining operations.

Nana Kwasi Ansah, the Abokomahene of Huniso, strongly rejected calls from the Apinto Division to deny Gold Fields a lease extension and transfer the mine to local ownership. He described such a proposal as economically unviable and warned against an attempt to "hijack a vital national asset for private gain" under the guise of local control. Ansah emphasized that mining requires significant capital, advanced technical expertise, and adherence to international environmental standards, which he believes an untested local entity cannot guarantee at the scale of the Tarkwa Mine.

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Mining is not trial-and-error corporate governance. It would be unrealistic for an untested, wholly Ghanaian-owned entity or state vehicle to take over and maintain the scale, safety and operational efficiency of the mine.

Instead of replacing the established operator, the groups advocate for enhanced transparency, expanded local procurement, job security guarantees, and binding infrastructure commitments. They caution that disruptions to foreign investment in the sub-region have led to economic setbacks in the past. Nana Ansah warned that approximately 4,000 direct workers and subcontractors could face job losses if the lease is not renewed, and the state risks losing hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties, taxes, and dividends. He also countered claims that Gold Fields has not contributed to host communities, citing support for small and medium enterprises, employment, and development projects.

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While no mining operation is without environmental and social challenges, it is factually incorrect to say Gold Fields has contributed nothing to host communities.