The Minerals Commission says Northern Ashanti Mines Limited, formerly Owere Mines, has sued the state after its mining leases and prospecting licence were terminated.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Commission on October 27, 2026.
According to the statement, the company instituted legal proceedings against the state in a court of competent jurisdiction after acknowledging receipt of the termination notice.
The statement said the termination was due to the company’s failure to pay over $8.3 million in Annual Mineral Right fees and its failure to undertake meaningful mining operations for over two years.
“The total amount owed to the Commission in respect of the mining leases stood at US$8,330,000, while the amount owed in respect of prospecting licences was US$49,928,” the statement said.
The Commission said it issued Notices to Remedy Breach on April 14, 2025, requiring the company to settle fees from 2010 to 2025 for mining leases and from 2019 to 2025 for prospecting licences, but the company failed to comply.
It said it further established that the company had not undertaken any meaningful operations on the concession for over two years, in breach of Section 69(1) of Act 703.
The statement said following the failure to remedy the breaches, the Commission notified the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources on April 7, 2026, for termination, which was approved on April 24, 2026, before enforcement on April 30, 2026.
The Commission in the statement described the company’s resort to the media while the matter is before court as improper.
“Having done so, it is improper and contemptuous of the judicial process for the Company to simultaneously resort to the court of public opinion, peddling false narratives,” the statement said.
It added that mineral rights have reverted to the state and that it reserves the right to pursue the company to pay all sums owed.
Minerals Commission defends termination of Northern Ashanti Mines’ licences
