The extractive-sector campaigner says the regulator’s handling of Northern Ashanti Mines risks undermining the government’s drive to increase Ghanaian participation in the mining industry.
Civil society activist and extractive-sector governance expert Dr Steve Manteaw has criticised the Minerals Commission over its handling of indigenous mining companies, warning that the regulator’s actions could undermine the government’s efforts to promote local ownership of the mining industry.
In a Facebook post, Dr Manteaw called on the Commission to stop what he described as “hawkish hostility” and the targeting of indigenous mining firms, arguing that the country could not promote indigenisation while making it difficult for Ghanaian-owned businesses to operate.
“The Minerals Commission must stop this hawkish hostility & targeting of indigenous mines. They undermine the President’s indigenisation drive,” he wrote.
He added that authorities should find ways of supporting local mining companies rather than frustrating their operations.
Northern Ashanti Mines dispute
Dr Manteaw’s comments come amid a dispute involving Northern Ashanti Mines Limited (NAML), formerly Owere Mines, following the termination of its mineral rights by the Minerals Commission.
The Commission maintains that the termination was lawful and followed the company’s failure to meet statutory obligations, including the payment of mineral-right fees. It has said the company was given opportunities to regularise its position but failed to do so.
According to reports, the Commission has put the company’s outstanding statutory fees at more than US$8.38 million, including unpaid annual mineral-right fees and amounts associated with prospecting licences.
However, Northern Ashanti Mines disputes the debt assessment and has challenged aspects of the process leading to the termination. The company has argued that some of the outstanding amounts relate to obligations inherited from the mine’s previous operator.
The disagreement has intensified debate over how regulators should enforce mining laws while supporting the growth of locally owned companies.
Manteaw calls for a less confrontational approach
Dr Manteaw has argued that outstanding debt alone should not automatically lead to the closure of a mining operation, particularly when payment arrangements could be negotiated.
He believes keeping a company operational could allow it to generate revenue, meet its financial obligations and sustain economic activity.
He has also urged authorities to address the Northern Ashanti Mines dispute alongside challenges involving Adamus Resources in the Ellembelle area, saying the government should consider practical solutions to the difficulties facing local mining businesses.
Commission defends its decision
The Minerals Commission has maintained that mining rights are conditional on compliance with statutory requirements and that the law applies to all operators, regardless of ownership.
The dispute highlights the challenge of balancing regulatory enforcement, revenue protection and the government’s stated ambition to increase indigenous participation in Ghana’s mining sector. The competing claims remain subject to the ongoing dispute between the parties.
