The Minerals Commission has justified the termination of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, formerly known as Owere Mines leases.
According to the Minerals Commission, the Northern Ashanti Mines Limited has failed to pay statutory fees and undertake meaningful mining operations for more than two years.
In a press release dated October 27, 2026, the Commission said the termination was carried out in accordance with the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2176), and the terms of the agreements with the company.
They noted that Northern Ashanti Mines had failed to pay outstanding Annual Mineral Right (AMR) fees amounting to US$8.33 million for its mining leases covering the period from 2010 to 2025, as well as US$49,928 for prospecting licences covering 2019 to 2025.
The Minerals Commission also disclosed that it issued notices to remedy the breaches on April 14, 2025, requiring the company to settle the outstanding amounts within a stipulated period, but it failed to comply.
Read the Minerals Commission full statement below:
“The Minerals Commission has noted with grave concern the ongoing media campaign b’ Northern Ashanti Mines Limited formerly Owere Mines, seeking to solicit public sympathy ove the lawful exercise of statutory powers by the Minerals Commission. The Mining Leases and rospecting Licence of the company were terminated strictly in accordance with the Mineral: and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2176) as well as the terms of the agreements it held, following the Company’s own persistent and flagrant breaches of Ghanaian law.
In January 2010, the Company acquired a mining lease covering 595 cadastral blocks in respect bf the Owere Mines. Under section 24 of Act 703 and the terms of the mining lease agreement the Company was bound to pay Annual Mineral Right (“AMR”] fees to the Minerals Commission on an annual basis.
On 14 April 2025, pursuant to section 68(2) of Act 703 and regulation 200(3) of L.I. 2176, the Minerals Commission issued Notices to Remedy Breach requiring the Company to settle the outstanding AMR fees tor the Mining Leases from 2010 to 2025, and for Prospecting Licences rom 2019 to 2025. The total amount owed to the Commission in respect of the mining leases stood at U$$8,330,000, while the amount owed in respect of prospecting licences was US$49,928. And yet, the Company failed to comply within the stipulated period.
It was further established that the Company had not undertaken any meaningful mining perations on the concession for a period exceeding two (2) years, in direct contravention o section 69(1) of Act 703.
Following the Company’s failure to remedy the breaches, a whole year after the notice and in accordance with the law, the Minerals Commission, on 7 April 2026, notified the Minister for ,ands and Natural Resources with a request to serve a notice of termination of the lease to the company. The Minister approved the issuance of the notice on 24 April 2026, after which the Commission proceeded to act accordingly on the 30″h of April 2026.
The Minerals Commission wishes to categorically state that it acted lawfully and followed duc process at every stage. The Company was given every opportunity to regularize its position and yet chose not to. The law is the law. Mineral rights are not an inheritance. Once granted, a holder must abide by the rules, whether they are an indigenous company or not, and this includes the payment of statutory fees and the undertaking of meaningful mining operations.
Once the mineral rights have been terminated, they reverted to the State as the lawful owne without prejudice to all the liabilities assumed by the company prior to the termination, including the humongous indebtedness. The Commission reserves the right and shall pursue the company to pay all the sums it owes to the State. Further, the State has the responsibility”.
The development follows, Northern Ashanti Mines Company Limited (NAMCL), a subsidiary of Nguvu Mining Limited owned by Angela Attieh, has filed an injunction application at the High Court in Accra seeking to prevent the John Mahama government from taking over its Konongo mining concession.
Angela Attieh’s Northern Ashanti Mines is warning that more than US$110 million in investment could be at risk.
The company is seeking to restrain the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission from taking possession of the mine or transferring its mineral rights to third parties while the court determines the legality of the termination of its mining lease.
The Attorney-General has also been named as a respondent in the application, which was filed at the Commercial Division of the High Court.
The legal action follows a security operation at the mine on Thursday, October 22, 2026, during which military and police personnel reportedly took control of the site, removed security guards and directed workers to leave the premises.
See the statement below:
@ghnow_ Documents submitted by the minister on the South Africa evacuation exercise reportedly contain duplicate names. #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ The Minority insists it has never paid anyone to speak against the government. #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
