Mining Lease Row: Fred Okine Reveals Northern Ashanti Mines’ Next Move Against Government

A director of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, Fred Okine, has indicated that the company may pursue international legal action over the termination of its mining lease if efforts to resolve the dispute through dialogue with the relevant authorities prove unsuccessful.

Okine said the company’s board had decided to consider taking the matter to international courts if the Minerals Commission, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and other relevant authorities were unwilling to negotiate a settlement.

Speaking to Sammie Wiafe on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Thursday, October 22, he said the company remained committed to resolving the dispute amicably but would take the necessary legal steps to protect its investment.

He stressed that Northern Ashanti Mines could not allow its investment to be lost without challenging the decision to terminate its mining lease, noting that the company had invested approximately $120 million over three years.

Okine also questioned the process leading to the termination, arguing that the company had not been given the opportunity to address any outstanding regulatory concerns through the usual engagement procedures.

He maintained that the Minerals Commission had traditionally engaged companies directly when regulatory issues arose, allowing them to discuss the concerns and take corrective measures where necessary.

According to him, the handling of the matter had raised concerns about whether the company was being given a fair opportunity to protect its investment.

Okine further described the situation as unfair, particularly because Northern Ashanti Mines operates as a joint venture involving a wholly Ghanaian-owned company.

He said the company was preparing to petition the Minerals Commission and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources again in an effort to secure a fair resolution.

As part of its defence, Northern Ashanti Mines maintains that it has taken steps to meet its regulatory obligations, including spending substantial amounts on renewing its mining lease and securing the necessary environmental and mining permits.

Okine said the company had also made arrangements to settle certain outstanding payments in instalments where immediate payment was not possible, adding that such arrangements had previously been accommodated by the regulator.

He also raised concerns about a recent security operation at the company’s premises, alleging that the circumstances appeared to favour another company.

He indicated that Northern Ashanti Mines intended to investigate the identity and interests of the company allegedly benefiting from the situation.

Reports on Thursday, October 22, indicated that military and police personnel had taken control of the mining company’s premises and directed workers to leave.

However, the precise connection between the reported operation and the termination of the lease has not been independently established.

Meanwhile, Northern Ashanti Mines has filed an application for judicial review at the High Court in Accra, challenging the termination of its mining lease covering the Konongo area in the Ashanti Region.

The application names the Minerals Commission, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and the Attorney-General as respondents.

The company is seeking to have the termination decision declared unlawful and subsequently quashed.

Court documents cited by Citi Newsroom identify a letter dated April 30, 2026, and signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission as the document communicating the termination of the lease.

The company argues that the decision was made without lawful authority and in breach of procedures prescribed under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2176).

In an affidavit supporting the application, Jonathan Adongo, identified as the company’s Administrative Manager, states that Northern Ashanti Mines was not informed of the alleged regulatory breaches cited in the termination letter or given an opportunity to address them before the decision was taken.

The company also contends that Section 68 of Act 703 establishes procedures for the suspension or cancellation of mineral rights and that the relevant authorities failed to comply with the applicable requirements.

Source: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/10/northern-ashanti-mines-threatens-to-take-lease-termination-to-international-courts/

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