The Environmental Protection Authority has shut down the operations of Gan He Company Limited, a Chinese owned mining firm operating in the Western Region, after accusing the company of repeatedly violating environmental regulations despite earlier warnings and sanctions.
The enforcement action targeted the company’s processing plant and underground dewatering activities at Abreshia in the Wassa Amenfi East District following what the EPA described as persistent non compliance with directives issued earlier this year. The shutdown forms part of a wider nationwide compliance operation by the Authority aimed at mining companies accused of breaching Ghana’s environmental and mining laws.
According to the EPA, inspectors first visited the mining site on January 27, 2026, where they uncovered multiple environmental infractions during an assessment of the company’s operations. The Authority subsequently issued an enforcement notice, imposed financial penalties, and ordered management to undertake remedial actions within a one to three month period.
However, EPA officials say the company allegedly failed to comply with the majority of the directives and continued operating under the same conditions months after the inspection.
Speaking during the enforcement exercise, EPA Deputy Director in charge of Mining Operations, Harrison Haron Afful, stated that Gan He Company Limited had ignored repeated warnings and failed to pay fines imposed by the Authority.
“We were here earlier this year on 27th January and we identified certain infractions. As a result, the company was directed to stop its mining and processing activities. We issued an enforcement notice, recommended specific remedial actions with timelines, and also imposed a fine on the company. To date, the company has failed to implement all the recommendations we made and has also not paid the fine,” he said.
The EPA accused the mining company of discharging contaminated water into the environment, improperly disposing cyanide contaminated tailings into an unengineered storage facility, and poorly managing sediments around its operations. The Authority further alleged that the company failed to submit mandatory environmental monitoring reports and processed tailings materials without obtaining the required environmental permits.
Officials say the continued dumping of mining waste posed significant environmental risks to nearby communities and water bodies, prompting the immediate suspension of the company’s processing operations.
The latest enforcement action highlights growing regulatory pressure on mining firms operating in Ghana as authorities intensify efforts to tackle environmental degradation linked to both legal and illegal mining activities.
In recent months, the government and environmental regulators have adopted a tougher stance against companies accused of breaching environmental standards, particularly in the mining sector where concerns over polluted rivers, deforestation and land destruction continue to dominate national discussions.
Earlier this year, the government revoked the licences of Adamus Resources after allegations of environmental and legal breaches linked to mining operations. EPA officials subsequently warned mining companies across the country to take responsibility for activities within their concessions and prevent illegal mining operations from thriving under their watch.
“I would say to companies mining in Ghana to take ownership of their concessions and be responsible. They must not allow illegal mining activities within their operational areas,” an EPA official previously stated while addressing concerns over environmental violations in the sector.
Environmental activists and local residents in many mining communities have repeatedly raised concerns about the impact of mining waste and chemical pollution on rivers, farmlands and public health. Ghana’s major water bodies including the Pra, Ankobra and Offin rivers have faced increasing contamination linked to mining activities over the past decade.
The use of cyanide in gold processing remains one of the most sensitive environmental issues in Ghana’s mining industry because of the potential health and ecological dangers associated with improper disposal and leakages.
Mining analysts say the EPA’s latest action against Gan He Company Limited signals a broader policy shift toward stricter environmental enforcement and stronger monitoring of both foreign and local mining operators.
Authorities believe tighter enforcement is necessary to restore public confidence in the regulation of the mining sector, particularly as public frustration continues to grow over environmental destruction associated with mining activities in several parts of the country.
The shutdown also comes amid increasing national debate over balancing economic benefits from mining with environmental sustainability and protection of natural resources.
While Ghana remains one of Africa’s leading gold producers, environmental experts warn that weak compliance enforcement and poor waste management practices continue to threaten long term ecological stability in many mining regions.
EPA officials say inspections and enforcement exercises against non compliant mining companies will continue nationwide as part of broader efforts to strengthen environmental governance and ensure companies comply fully with Ghana’s mining and environmental regulations.
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