The Office of the Attorney General has directed illegal miners, popularly known as galamsey operators, to immediately vacate the Aboso-Bompieso concession of Global Ore Ghana Industries Limited or face prosecution.
State Attorney Kingsley Nana Agyekum said the company’s 17-year large-scale mining lease remains valid, having been lawfully acquired, and stressed that only Parliament has the authority to revoke it before its expiry.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting held at the Western Central Regional Police Command in Tarkwa over the ongoing dispute at the Aboso mining concession, Mr Agyekum explained that the concession, which was originally granted to Aboso Gold Fields, was legally transferred to Adudamfed and subsequently to Global Ore through acquisition and merger processes recognised under Ghana’s mining laws.
He dismissed claims that the lease had lapsed, explaining that a valid large-scale mining licence does not cease to exist simply because active mining operations have not commenced.
“The licence itself has not expired. The only authority that can revoke or withdraw the licence before its expiry is not the original issuer. Parliament has already granted that concession,” he said.
He added that where disputes arise over land use, they must be resolved through lawful means rather than violence.
“If there is a dispute with others over land use, violence is not the solution. Ghana is governed by laws,” he stressed.
Global Ore Ghana Industries Limited officially acquired the Aboso-Bompieso mining concession after the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources approved the transfer of the lease on 3 January 2025. The company had earlier been granted a 17-year large-scale mining lease in December 2024.
Also addressing the gathering, the Western Regional Head of the Minerals Commission, Francis Annobil, clarified the status of community mining licences operating within the concession.
He disclosed that three of the five community mining licences issued by the previous government — Aboso Youth in Community, Aboso Kokoado and Aboso Cashman — expired on 16 November 2025 and have not been renewed.
According to him, two other licences granted on 21 March 2024 remain valid, but cautioned that any mining activity undertaken without the requisite documentation is illegal.
“Anyone operating without proper paperwork is functioning illegally. All these operations are situated within the Global Ore concession,” Mr Annobil said.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Aboso, Nana Kwesi Appiah II, and the Ebusuapayin of Bompieso, Nana Asare Badieko, appealed to the State Attorney to explore arrangements that would allow large-scale and small-scale mining to coexist peacefully.
They expressed confidence that the resumption of large-scale mining operations would accelerate development in the area, pointing to the benefits the communities enjoyed during previous mining activities.
“We believe large-scale mining will bring substantial development to our communities. We saw it before, and we want to see it again,” they said.
Mr Agyekum concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to enforcing the law, protecting legitimate investors and maintaining order within Ghana’s mining sector.
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