Military and police personnel took control of Northern Ashanti Mines at Konongo in the Ashanti Region at dawn on Thursday, October 22, 2026, and ordered staff to leave the premises with immediate effect.
The mine’s General Manager, Kenneth Allen, says about 430 people, including 240 permanent staff and contractors, have been affected.
The operation comes six months after the Minerals Commission terminated the company’s mining lease in a letter dated April 30, 2026. Northern Ashanti Mines has gone to the High Court in Accra to challenge that decision, arguing it was denied due process.
The legal authority for the security deployment and who ordered it remain unclear. No statement had been issued by the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service or the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources at the time of writing.
Security forces arrived during a production meeting
According to Mr Allen, the security personnel arrived while management was holding a regular production meeting. He said they cited instructions from higher authorities and told workers to vacate the site.
Citi Newsroom, which first reported the takeover, described the company as being under siege on Thursday morning. Staff were reportedly ordered out of the premises without further explanation.
Northern Ashanti Mines lease allegedly given to another consortium
Mr Allen said officials of the Minerals Commission visited the mine on Wednesday, October 21, and told him the lease had been handed to another consortium. The consortium has not been named.
“I am not privy to any agreement or the lease to another consortium,” Mr Allen said on Citi Prime News, adding that he had no knowledge of any transfer arrangement.
Northern Ashanti Mines lease termination challenged in court
Northern Ashanti Mines, formerly known as Owere Mines, has filed a judicial review application at the High Court in Accra. The respondents are the Minerals Commission, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Attorney-General.
The company says it was given no notice of any alleged breaches and no opportunity to fix them before the lease was terminated. It cites Section 68 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and L.I. 2176, and argues that a remedy period of at least 120 days should have applied.
In its court documents, the company is asking the court to:
- Quash the April 30, 2026 termination decision (certiorari)
- Restrain any further steps based on that letter, including reallocating the lease, unless done lawfully
- Declare the lease valid for its unexpired term
- Restore its rights and update official records
- Award costs
The company says its lawyers wrote to the Minerals Commission on May 4, 2026, seeking a review, and petitioned Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah on May 20, 2026. It says neither received a response. The court has not yet granted any orders or ruled on the case.
Northern Ashanti Mines: key figures
- Lease granted: February 20, 2023
- Concession size: about 125 square kilometres at Konongo
- Lease terminated: letter dated April 30, 2026, from the Minerals Commission CEO
- Review request: May 4, 2026; petition to Minister: May 20, 2026
- Workers affected (per GM): about 430, including 240 permanent staff and contractors
- Employees (per company affidavit): about 220
- Mine status before company took over: inactive for at least 15 years, according to the company
Questions over link to Angela List and Adamus Resources
Reports of the Konongo takeover have come amid controversy over mining interests linked to Ghanaian entrepreneur Angela List, including Adamus Resources. GhanaTrends earlier reported when Adamus Resources’ mining leases were revoked by government.
It has not been established whether the Northern Ashanti Mines operation is connected to the Adamus matter. Northern Ashanti Mines has previously raised concerns about illegal mining on its Konongo concession and called for stronger security for its workers.
What the takeover means for Konongo mine workers
For the hundreds of workers and contractors at the site, the immediate effect is a halt to work and uncertainty about jobs and pay. The company has said it invested in equipment, infrastructure and processing facilities to revive the long-dormant Konongo gold mine.
For Konongo and surrounding communities, the mine’s future now depends on the outcome of the court case and any decision on who holds the lease.
What happens next
The High Court is yet to hear the judicial review application. Northern Ashanti Mines wants the court to stop any reallocation of the lease while the case is pending.
Clarification is being sought from the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission on the basis for the deployment and the status of the lease.
Summary of story at a glance
- Military and police took over Northern Ashanti Mines at Konongo at dawn on October 22, 2026.
- Staff were ordered to leave immediately; the GM says about 430 people are affected.
- The Minerals Commission terminated the company’s lease by a letter dated April 30, 2026.
- The GM says Minerals Commission officials told him the lease had gone to another, unnamed consortium.
- The company has filed for judicial review at the High Court in Accra.
- No official statement on who ordered the deployment had been issued at the time of writing.
FAQs
Why did the military take over Northern Ashanti Mines?
No official reason has been given. The takeover follows the Minerals Commission’s termination of the company’s lease in April 2026, though a link has not been officially confirmed.
Where is Northern Ashanti Mines located?
The mine is at Konongo in the Ashanti Region, on a concession of about 125 square kilometres.
Has Northern Ashanti Mines gone to court over its lease?
Yes. The company has filed a judicial review application at the High Court in Accra against the Minerals Commission, the Lands Minister and the Attorney-General. The court has not yet ruled.
The security takeover of Northern Ashanti Mines has left about 430 workers out of the Konongo site while the company’s legal fight over its terminated lease is still pending. With claims that the lease has been given to another consortium and no official explanation yet, attention now turns to the authorities and the High Court for answers.
