{
  "id": 18269203,
  "title": "Wassa Fiase chiefs push for Ghanaian ownership of the Tarkwa Gold Mine concession as Gold Fields leases near expiry",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/wassa-fiase-chiefs-push-for-ghanaian-ownership-of-the-tarkwa-gold-18269203",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T06:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/wassa-fiase-chiefs-push-for-ghanaian-ownership-of-the-tarkwa-gold-mine-concession-as-gold-fields-leases-near-expiry/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chiefs from the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area have urged President John Dramani Mahama to hand over the Tarkwa Gold Mine concession to a Ghanaian investor once the current leases expire in April 2027, according to a report on November 4, 2026. At a general meeting of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council, they highlighted that the decades of mining activities have failed to provide significant benefits to the local communities, citing issues such as poor infrastructure and delayed royalty payments. The Apinto Divisional Council, which governs the area where the mine is situated, has already petitioned the government to avoid renewing Gold Fields' mining leases. They seek a Ghanaian investor capable of operating the mine and committed to investing in the surrounding communities. Nana Abena Konadwoa II, the Queen Mother of Wassa Fiase, expressed that previous calls for assistance in improving infrastructure have gone unmet and questioned Gold Fields' commitment to community development despite its substantial profits. She pointed out the company's 2025 and 2026 profits and the royalties it pays, yet expressed doubt about the scale of its contributions. Examples of potential improvements under a Ghanaian operator, according to her, include roads, hospitals, an astroturf pitch, and an airport project in the Damang area, following the transfer of the Damang mine's ownership to Ghana. Other chiefs, including Nana Adu Panyin of the Apinto Divisional Council, Nana Kwabena Gyan II, Nana Sompreh of Bogoso Divisional Council, and Nana Nteboah Prah of Prestea-Heman Divisional Council, also supported the proposal for a Ghanaian investor to take over the Tarkwa Gold Mine. The mine, with five leases dating back to April 18, 1997, covers approximately 20,825 hectares and includes four large open pits and a processing plant with a capacity of processing 13.5 million tonnes of ore annually.",
  "summary": "Chiefs in the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area have called on President John Dramani Mahama to award the Tarkwa Gold Mine concession to a Ghanaian investor when Gold Fields Ghana Limited’s mining leases expire in April 2027. The chiefs made the call at a general meeting of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council on Wednesday, November 4, […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}