{
  "id": 17095498,
  "title": "Minerals Commission defends termination of Northern Ashanti Mines’ mineral rights over $8.3m debt",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/minerals-commission-defends-termination-of-northern-ashanti-mines",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-29T17:16:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/minerals-commission-defends-termination-of-northern-ashanti-mines-mineral-rights-over-8-3m-debt/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Minerals Commission has justified its decision to revoke the mineral rights of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, formerly known as Owere Mines. The Commission argued that the company persistently neglected its financial duties despite repeated chances to settle its arrears. As of April 2025, the company owed approximately US$8.33 million in annual mineral right (AMR) fees for its mining leases, alongside US$49,928 on prospecting licences. A press conference held by the Commission refuted Northern Ashanti Mines' claims that the termination was carried out in bad faith, confirming that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources had acted within his legal rights. The Commission explained that Owere Mines had acquired a mining lease covering 595 blocks in January 2010 but had failed to meet its annual payment obligations under Section 24 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703). By May 2020, the company had accrued over US$4 million in outstanding fees, leading to a notice demanding rectification. Following the takeover by BCM Investments, the company proposed paying the debt in four installments, but it was later discovered that it failed to comply even after additional opportunities. By October 2022, the outstanding debt had escalated to US$5.59 million, reaching US$6.18 million by December of the same year. Following notices in April 2025, the company's indebtedness stood at US$8.33 million in lease fees, not including the overdue prospecting licence fees. Consequently, on April 7, 2026, the Commission recommended the termination of the company's mineral rights to the Lands Minister, citing continuous non-payment. The Minister subsequently approved the notice. The Commission challenged Northern Ashanti Mines' assertion of having paid US$1 million, revealing that they had only contributed US$300,000 in two installments. The Commission criticized the company's attempt to sue the Lands Minister, the Minerals Commission, and the Attorney-General while seeking public dialogue on the issue, urging them to let the courts resolve the dispute instead of using media as a platform. It highlighted that the termination meant the affected concessions reverted to the State, while the company's financial liabilities remained unresolved. The Commission announced its intent to recover all outstanding payments owed by Northern Ashanti Mines and emphasized the State's responsibility to safeguard the affected mining assets from unauthorized encroachment and illegal activities, as per Section 70 of Act 703. The Commission reiterated that due process was upheld during the termination proceedings and emphasized that no mining company, local or foreign-owned, would be exempt from adhering to its statutory obligations. The Commission stressed that everyone in the country is subject to the law and that those who violate the laws face sanctions, which would be enforced. The Commission reaffirmed its dedication to enforcing Ghana's mining laws without bias, underlining that the country's mineral resources belong to the people and must be managed in accordance with the law.",
  "summary": "The Minerals Commission has defended its decision to terminate the mineral rights of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, formerly Owere Mines, insisting that the company persistently failed to meet its statutory financial obligations despite several opportunities to settle its debts.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "Minerals Commission urges Northern Ashanti Mines to pursue lease dispute in court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/minerals-commission-urges-northern-ashanti-mines-to-pursue-lease",
        "published": "2026-10-29T18:07:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}