The Government of Ghana has clarified that the revocation of three mining leases held by Adamus Resources Limited was a regulatory action arising from alleged breaches of Ghana’s mining laws and outstanding financial obligations, and not a move to prepare the company or its assets for sale to another investor. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources made the clarification on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, following growing public speculation that the revocation was intended to facilitate a transfer of the mining assets.
In a statement, the Ministry categorically stated that there was currently no government decision to sell Adamus Resources or its mining assets. It said suggestions that the revocation was undertaken to pave the way for a sale were speculative and did not reflect the basis for the government’s decision.
The clarification follows the government’s decision to uphold the revocation of Adamus Resources’ three mining leases covering the Akango, Salman and Nkroful concessions in the Western Region.
The leases were initially revoked in April 2026 following investigations by the Minerals Commission into the company’s operations. The decision was subsequently subjected to a review after Adamus petitioned the government against the revocation. On Monday, August 10, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah announced that he had upheld the revocation after receiving the final report of an Inter-Ministerial Committee tasked with reviewing the company’s petition.
According to the Ministry, the decision was based on findings by the Minerals Commission that Adamus had committed what it described as consequential breaches of Ghana’s mining laws, regulatory requirements and financial obligations.
One of the key findings was that Adamus had conducted mining activities outside its designated and permitted areas without obtaining the required Operating Permit from the Chief Inspector of Mines.
The Ministry said the conduct constituted a breach of Regulation 200(1)(b) of the Minerals and Mining (Health, Safety and Technical) Regulations. It stressed that mining companies cannot lawfully undertake mining operations outside approved areas without the necessary regulatory authorisation.
The Minerals Commission had earlier identified other alleged violations, including the unauthorised assignment or subcontracting of portions of Adamus’ mineral rights to third parties without prior ministerial approval. The Commission said such an arrangement breached Section 14 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
The Lands Ministry said the Minerals Commission established that Adamus had outstanding financial obligations arising from its mining operations. It emphasised that companies holding mining rights are required to comply not only with technical, environmental and operational conditions attached to their leases but also with their statutory financial obligations to the state.
The Ministry further stated that the Minister’s approval of the revocation was backed by Section 5(1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, acting on the recommendation of the Minerals Commission.
The government’s latest statement was largely aimed at addressing speculation surrounding the future of the Adamus mine and its assets.
The Ministry said the revocation of a mining lease should not automatically be interpreted as a decision to sell the affected company or transfer its assets to another investor.
It maintained that the state, through the Minerals Commission and other relevant institutions, has a responsibility to ensure that Ghana’s mineral resources are exploited in accordance with the law and in a manner that protects the interests of Ghanaians.
“Where a holder of a mining right fails to comply with the conditions of its lease or applicable laws and regulations, Government is required to take appropriate regulatory action,” the Ministry stated.
It added that the Adamus decision was based on “compliance, legality and protection of the public interest” rather than an intention to transfer the company’s assets to a preferred investor.
The government therefore stressed that there is no current decision to sell Adamus Resources or its mining assets.
Adamus Resources, however, has strongly rejected the government’s justification for the revocation.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 12, the company described the revocation as unlawful and accused the Lands and Natural Resources Minister of stripping it of its mineral rights without following the procedures prescribed by the Minerals and Mining Act.
The company categorically denied the allegations against it, describing them as “unfounded” and “contrived”. It further accused the government of abusing its powers and disregarding the law in the process leading to the revocation.
Adamus said it had received the decision with “shock and disappointment” and indicated that it was taking steps to challenge what it called a baseless revocation.
The company had previously maintained that it was a duly licensed mining operator and disputed allegations of illegal mining and unlawful subcontracting. In April, following the initial revocation, Adamus said it held the necessary approvals from the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency and operated within Ghana’s mining regulatory framework.
The controversy over the leases comes as the government seeks to maintain operations and protect the value of the affected mining assets.
Following the initial revocation, the military was deployed to protect the Adamus mine assets, while mining operations continued. The Minerals Commission said the deployment was intended to safeguard the assets and ensure that operations continued in the interest of the state.
Following the minister’s decision to uphold the revocation, Mr Buah also led officials from the Lands Ministry and the Minerals Commission on a working visit to the mine site. The delegation engaged mine workers, chiefs and members of the surrounding communities.
The Minister has also indicated plans to seek a court order compelling Adamus to fully and promptly settle its outstanding royalty, tax and other financial liabilities to the government.
The dispute therefore remains unresolved, with the government maintaining that its action was necessary to enforce Ghana’s mining laws, while Adamus insists that the revocation was procedurally flawed and intends to challenge it.
The Adamus dispute comes amid broader government efforts to strengthen regulation of Ghana’s mining industry and combat illegal and unauthorised mining activities.
The government has repeatedly stressed that holders of mining rights, including large-scale mining companies, must operate strictly within the conditions of their licences and comply with financial, environmental and technical requirements.
The Adamus case could therefore become an important test of how firmly the government applies those requirements to established mining companies, particularly where allegations involve operating outside approved areas, regulatory breaches and unpaid statutory obligations.
For now, however, the government insists that the future of Adamus will not be determined by a planned sale.
The Lands Ministry said Ghana’s mineral resources belong to the people and that their exploitation must be conducted within the law and in the broader national interest. It maintained that the revocation of Adamus’ leases was a regulatory measure intended to enforce compliance, rather than a mechanism for transferring the company’s assets to another investor.
The immediate next step is expected to centre on Adamus Resources’ proposed legal challenge and the government’s efforts to enforce the financial and regulatory obligations it says remain outstanding.
Until those processes are concluded, the government’s position remains that the Adamus mining assets are not for sale, while the company continues to dispute the legal and factual basis for the revocation of its three mining leases.
SEIDU HUBEIDATU