Mining lease approved: Ghana grants Abosso Goldfields one last year

Parliament’s mining lease approved decision has set the clock ticking. Abosso Goldfields has received just one more year to operate the Damang gold mine. After April 2026, no renewal, transfer, or deal will be allowed.

Initially, the government planned to take over operations after the lease expired in April 2025. But following intense consultations, Ghana extended the lease under strict one-year terms.

Though Gold Fields Limited owns 90% of Damang, it hasn’t shown signs of long-term interest. Mining halted in 2023. In 2024, the company declared no reserves and proposed no exploration. This year, they continue processing leftover stockpiles—nothing more.

Clearly, this final lease isn’t about expansion. It’s about exit.

Now, Ghana faces a choice. Will we once again hand over our gold to outsiders? Or will we finally trust ourselves to lead?

Nigeria offers inspiration. The Dangote Refinery stands as proof. Built by Nigerians, for Nigerians—it created jobs, kept wealth at home, and strengthened the nation. Ghana has its own Dangotes-in-waiting. All they need is belief and backing.

This mining lease approved moment should mark more than continuity. It should launch a transition. Let’s empower Ghanaian mining firms now. Let’s equip them with funding, technology, and global standards.

We must not wait for the lease to expire before we act. The time is now. Let this year be our turning point. Let Damang become a symbol of ownership—not just extraction.

If we truly believe in our people, then we must give them the ground to stand on—and the gold beneath it.