Twenty-four civil society organisations and fisheries stakeholders have called on the government to completely revoke all offshore gold reconnaissance licences issued to GoldCoast GRC Ghana Limited, warning that the proposed activities could threaten Ghana’s fisheries resources, marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods.
“Completely revoke all offshore gold reconnaissance licences in view of the significant risks posed to fisheries resources, marine biodiversity, coastal livelihoods, food security and Ghana’s blue economy objectives.”
The call follows the government’s decision to suspend activities under the reconnaissance licences while concerns raised by stakeholders are considered.
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In an open letter to the President, the organisations commended the government for the suspension but insisted that the measure alone was insufficient to address the potential environmental, economic and legal implications of offshore gold exploration.
They urged the government to maintain the suspension and proceed with a comprehensive review that would ultimately lead to the revocation of all the licences.
The stakeholders noted that the Minerals Commission, in a letter dated October 5, 2026, acting on the directive of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, ordered the immediate suspension of activities under the licences pending the completion of consultations and written ministerial authorisation for activities to resume.
According to the organisations, the Commission also acknowledged concerns about the potential environmental and ecological impacts of the proposed operations, as well as inadequate consultations with individuals and groups likely to be affected.
However, they argued that the review should go beyond determining whether the company could resume its activities to establish whether offshore gold exploration and any eventual seabed mining would be compatible with Ghana’s fisheries sector, food security priorities and blue economy aspirations.
The organisations expressed concern that the licences reportedly cover approximately 10,000 square kilometres of Ghana’s continental shelf, including marine areas that support important fisheries resources and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
They stressed that the ocean provides millions of Ghanaians with food, employment, cultural identity and economic security, making it essential for decisions affecting marine ecosystems to be guided by transparency, scientific evidence, legality and meaningful public participation.
The stakeholders also cited concerns reportedly raised by the Fisheries Commission about the implications of the licences for the marine environment, fishing activities and communities dependent on the sector.
They warned that offshore mineral development could expose fisheries resources and marine biodiversity to potentially irreversible harm, urging the government to prioritise the long-term sustainability of the fisheries sector over uncertain benefits associated with the proposed activities.
The organisations further called for a comprehensive legal review of the licences and proposed operations, citing provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended, and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146).
They pointed specifically to Section 32(3) of Act 703, which they said prohibits holders of reconnaissance licences from undertaking drilling or excavation.
They also raised questions concerning Section 99(6) of the Act, particularly its implications for the use of floating platforms and other equipment for mining or dredging to obtain minerals within Ghana’s territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
The groups argued that these legal questions must be authoritatively addressed before any decision is taken to proceed with activities such as vibro-coring, bulk sampling, dredging or eventual mineral extraction.
They also called for the review to consider the protections and management objectives established under Act 1146, particularly those relating to Ghana’s expanded 12-nautical-mile Inshore Exclusion Zone.
According to the letter, the company’s published map indicates that substantial portions of the licensed area intersect shallow coastal waters that support artisanal fisheries and other important ecological and livelihood activities.
The organisations therefore maintained that all proposed activities must comply with Ghana’s constitutional, environmental, mining and fisheries laws, as well as all applicable regulatory requirements.
As part of their demands, the stakeholders called on the government to publish all relevant licence instruments, geographical coordinates, maps, work programmes and approvals associated with the ten offshore reconnaissance licences.
They said public disclosure of the information would promote transparency and accountability and enable affected communities and other stakeholders to understand the scope and implications of the proposed activities.
They also urged the government to undertake a comprehensive legal, environmental, fisheries and socio-economic assessment of the licences.
The proposed review, they said, should be supported by meaningful stakeholder engagement and free, prior and informed consultations with affected fishing communities, fish processors, traditional authorities, relevant state institutions, academia and civil society organisations.
The organisations maintained that the consultations must be meaningful and contribute to the final decision rather than serve merely as a procedural requirement.
Ultimately, they called for the complete revocation of all offshore gold reconnaissance licences, citing the potential risks to marine biodiversity, fisheries resources, food security and the economic wellbeing of coastal communities.
The stakeholders said the suspension had created an opportunity for the government to address the outstanding legal, environmental and socio-economic concerns before the proposed programme advanced to more intrusive stages.
They urged the President to ensure that the ongoing review was guided by transparency, sound science, legality and public participation, with the interests of coastal communities and the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s marine resources placed at the centre of the decision.
They emphasised that the issue extended beyond mineral exploration, describing it as a broader question of how Ghana’s ocean resources should be managed for present and future generations.
The statement was signed by 24 civil society organisations and fisheries stakeholder groups, including the National Fisheries Association of Ghana, Environmental Justice Foundation, Hen Mpoano, Friends of the Nation, Oxfam, Oceana, the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council, the National Fish Processors and Traders Association, the National Coalition on Mining and the Coalition Against Galamsey Ghana.
The organisations reiterated their position that the government should completely revoke the licences to prevent potentially irreversible impacts on the marine environment and protect the millions of Ghanaians who depend on healthy oceans for their livelihoods and food security.
By: Mohammed Suleman/ Publicagenda.news
