Govt Keeps Adamus Mine Running
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Ghana has upheld the revocation of three mining leases held by Adamus Resources while allowing the company’s Nzema mine in the Western Region to remain operational under government oversight.
The decision forms part of efforts to recover significant unpaid revenues owed to the state while preventing an immediate disruption to mining production and employment.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said government would ensure that operations at the mine continue uninterrupted while a decision is taken on its future management.
He also indicated plans to secure an order requiring Adamus to settle its outstanding royalty, tax and other financial obligations to the state fully and promptly.
According to government, Adamus owes GH¢86.8 million in royalties and GH¢290.5 million in tax arrears, in addition to US$2.56 million in unpaid mineral-rights fees.
A review committee also identified unexplained discrepancies in gold exports and about US$224 million in transfers to related parties outside Ghana between 2020 and 2024.
The government’s intervention comes at a time when authorities are seeking to increase the financial returns Ghana receives from its mineral resources.
Mineral royalty collections reached GH¢2.01 billion in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 40 percent increase from the GH¢1.43 billion recorded during the same period a year earlier, according to the Minerals Income Investment Fund.
Ghana’s gold sector remains a major contributor to the economy, with national gold production rising by 23.4 percent to 5.94 million ounces in 2025.
However, the increase was driven largely by the small-scale mining sector, whose output rose to 3.11 million ounces. Large-scale gold production, meanwhile, declined by three percent to 2.83 million ounces.
Against this background, government’s decision to keep the Nzema mine operational allows production and employment to continue while the outstanding financial and regulatory issues are addressed.
Although Adamus is not among Ghana’s largest gold producers, its Nzema operation remains an established producing mine with significant economic importance to surrounding communities.
The company said in April that it employed more than 3,000 Ghanaians across its group of companies, with more than 60 percent of its workforce coming from communities within its immediate operational area.
The government’s decision therefore avoids an immediate shutdown that could affect workers, local businesses and gold production while the implications of the revoked leases are being addressed.
The leases covering Akango, Salman and Nkroful were initially revoked in April following inspections by the Minerals Commission.
The government said the inspections uncovered sustained breaches of Ghana’s mining laws, including the unauthorised assignment of mineral rights, mining outside approved areas and the absence of required environmental and forestry approvals.
Adamus subsequently petitioned against the decision, but a review committee upheld the findings after considering the company’s submissions.
The case comes as Ghana adopts a firmer approach to enforcing mining regulations and increasing the fiscal returns from the country’s mineral wealth.
The government’s handling of the Adamus case sends a dual message to investors: regulatory, environmental and financial obligations will be enforced, but authorities are also prepared to keep productive mining assets operating where possible. The outcome could provide an important indication of how firmly government intends to enforce compliance and recover public revenues as gold continues to play a critical role in Ghana’s export earnings, foreign-exchange position and fiscal revenues.
