Northern Ashanti Mines Threatens International Court Action Over Terminated Mining Lease

A director of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, Fred Okine, has warned that the company may seek legal redress through international courts if efforts to resolve its mining lease dispute with Ghanaian authorities fail.

Okine disclosed that the company’s board had agreed to consider international legal action if the Minerals Commission, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and other relevant authorities were unwilling to negotiate a settlement. He made the remarks during an interview with Sammie Wiafe on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Thursday, October 22, 2026.

He stressed that the company preferred an amicable resolution but would take further legal steps to protect its investment if negotiations proved unsuccessful. According to him, Northern Ashanti Mines had invested approximately $120 million over three years and could not allow the investment to be lost without challenging the lease termination.

The director questioned the procedure followed by the regulator, alleging that the company was not given an adequate opportunity to respond to the concerns that led to the decision. He maintained that regulatory disagreements are generally addressed through consultations, allowing companies to correct identified breaches where necessary.

Okine described the treatment of the company as unfair, particularly given its involvement in a joint venture with a wholly Ghanaian-owned business. He also disclosed that Northern Ashanti Mines was preparing another petition to the Minerals Commission and the sector minister in pursuit of a settlement.

He further maintained that the company had invested considerable resources in meeting regulatory obligations, including renewing its mining lease and obtaining the necessary environmental and mining permits. Where immediate payment of certain charges proved difficult, he said arrangements had been made to settle outstanding amounts in instalments, which he claimed had previously been accepted by the regulator.

The director also raised concerns about a recent security operation at the company’s premises, alleging that it appeared to favour another company. Reports on October 22 indicated that military and police personnel had taken control of the site at Konongo and directed workers to leave. However, the precise relationship between the security operation and the lease termination remains unclear.

Meanwhile, Northern Ashanti Mines has filed an application for judicial review at the High Court in Accra, challenging the decision to terminate 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 asking the court to declare the termination unlawful and set aside the decision.

Court documents cited by Citi Newsroom refer to a letter dated April 30, 2026, signed by the Minerals Commission’s chief executive, communicating the termination.

In its application, the company argues that the decision violated procedures under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2176). An affidavit filed by Administrative Manager Jonathan Adongo alleges that the company was not informed of the specific breaches cited or given an opportunity to respond before the lease was terminated.

Northern Ashanti Mines is also relying on Section 68 of Act 703, which outlines procedures for suspending or cancelling mineral rights, arguing that the relevant authorities failed to comply with the applicable legal requirements.

The outcome of the judicial review and any subsequent negotiations will determine the next stage of the dispute.

Northern Ashanti Mines threatens to take lease termination to international courts