Minerals Commission orders Earl Group, Small-Scale Miner to halt operations in Gbane over concession dispute

The Chief Inspector of Mines at the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission Joseph Frimpong has ordered Earl International Group Ghana Gold Limited, a large-scale mining company, and Nanlamtaaba Enterprise, a small-scale mining firm, to immediately cease mining operations in a disputed concession at Gbane in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.

The stop-work order is to remain in force pending investigations into mineral rights, permits and boundary claims.

The directive follows reports of violent clashes underground between workers of the two companies over boundary disputes. The clashes occurred after a court granted police protection to Nanlamtaaba Enterprise to mine in the contested area. Police sources say injuries were recorded in separate incidents involving workmen and security guards of both companies.

On November 21, 2025, the Bolgatanga High Court, presided over by His Lordship Justice Ernest Pascal Gemadzie, ordered the Upper East Regional Police Command to provide protection and assistance to small-scale miner Zongdaan Boyak Kolog, popularly known as Poloo, who operates as Nanlamtaaba Enterprise, to undertake mining operations in Gbane.

The court granted the order despite the miner not holding a valid mining licence or operating permits from the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Authority [EPA].

The order followed an application by lawyers for the small-scale miner who alleged trespass on his concession by youth of the Gbane community and by Earl International Group Ghana Gold Limited.

Records show that in February 2023, Mr. Kolog sued the Chinese-owned large-scale mining firm, the Minerals Commission, the Chief of Gbane and others over ownership of a 25-acre concession. This was in spite of the fact that Earl International had obtained a 14-year mining lease covering 16.02 square kilometres in April 2019. In May 2020, a 25-acre small-scale licence, reportedly falling within the already leased area, was subsequently issued to the small-scale miner for five years.

Following the grant of police protection, lawyers for Earl International filed an application to vacate the order, arguing it was based on an expired licence.

Records and evidence before the court showed that Nanlamtaaba Enterprise’s licence expired on May 14, 2025, and had not been renewed.

Counsel for Earl International argued that granting police protection to mine within the company’s concession without a valid and subsisting licence and without requisite permits under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 [Act 703] and the EPA, amounted to granting state protection to an illegal mining operation.

Lawyers for the small-scale miner claimed a renewal application had been submitted to the Minerals Commission. However, counsel for the Commission, which is a defendant in the matter, told the court it had no record of such an application.

The Commission contended that the procedure used was flawed and did not comply with guidelines for renewal under L.I. 2176, which requires applications to be submitted to the District Office of the Commission and not by courier to the Chief Executive Officer. The Commission further stated that Nanlamtaaba Enterprise has no mining permit, noting that mining may only be undertaken after a permit has been obtained from the Chief Inspector of Mines and must cease upon its withdrawal or suspension.

In his ruling, Justice Gemadzie held that although Nanlamtaaba’s licence had expired, it still owned the licence and the concession until terminated by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in accordance with Section 87 of Act 703. He consequently dismissed the application to set aside the order.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Earl International filed an application for a stay of execution pending an appeal at the Court of Appeal. That application was also dismissed.

In his ruling, Justice Gemadzie noted that the decision to grant police protection to the plaintiff to enter the concession and mine, with or without a subsisting licence, was hinged on evidence that the applicant faced opposition from some persons in his efforts to access and mine in the disputed concession.

At the time of filing this report, sources have confirmed that Earl International has filed a repeat application for stay of execution at the Court of Appeal.