After years of uncertainty and dormancy, the historic Prestea Bogoso Mine is on the path to revival, as Heath Goldfields injects $75 million to restore operations and bring hope back to the community.
Managing Director of Heath Goldfields, Patrick Appiah Mensah, disclosed during a tour of the site in Prestea, Western Region, that the company has already committed close to $75 million in cash payments, equipment, and materials to breathe life back into the mine.
He revealed that extensive refurbishment works are underway to prepare the process plant and underground facilities for operation.
“We plan to commence testing of the process plant equipment within the third week of September and, by the first week of October, begin production from the open pit. At the same time, we will continue upgrading the underground pumping installations, with the aim of resuming underground mining by the first quarter of next year,” Appiah Mensah said.
On job creation, Mine Operations Manager, Samuel Buertey Hadjor, announced a phased recruitment strategy, giving priority to former workers and residents of catchment communities.
“In the first phase, we will employ a limited number, but our target is former workers and people from the local communities. At full operations, we expect to employ close to 1,200 workers,” he explained.
The revival has been warmly welcomed by residents, who describe the company’s intervention as timely and much-needed.
The Prestea Bogoso Mine, one of Ghana’s oldest and most historic gold operations, had fallen into crisis under its former operator, Future Global Resources (FGR).
Workers went months without pay, contractors were left in debt, and underground pumping was abandoned, leaving the mine flooded and communities in despair.
For years, residents of Prestea, Bogoso, and surrounding areas staged protests and appealed to government for rescue.
With Heath Goldfields’ intervention, the mine’s resurgence offers renewed hope of jobs, economic revival, and stability for the people of Prestea and beyond.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
