Coalition Demands Immediate Suspension of Offshore Gold Exploration in Ghana
Civil society organisations, fishers’ associations, and fishing communities have called on President John Dramani Mahama to immediately halt offshore gold exploration activities involving GoldCoast Resource Corp. In an open letter dated October 3, 2026, a coalition of 51 groups expressed alarm over the scale and location of the project, which covers approximately 10,000 square kilometres of Ghana’s western offshore area. The reconnaissance licences extend about 300 kilometres from Half Assini towards Winneba.
The groups warned that the current exploration programme includes vibro-coring, bulk seabed sampling, and dredging. The coalition is warning the government not to put fisheries at risk by opening the door to a new extractive industry in waters critical to millions of livelihoods.
Overlap Concerns and Legal Protections for Inshore Waters
The published maps of the licensed area suggest portions fall within Ghana’s Inshore Exclusion Zone (IEZ). Under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), the IEZ extends from the coastline to 12 nautical miles, or approximately 22 kilometres, offshore. The Gold Coast Resource Corp. maps show licensed areas extending up to 33 kilometres offshore, meaning substantial portions overlap with protected inshore waters.
The civil society groups pointed to specific provisions in the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended. They cited Section 32(3) of the Act, which prohibits reconnaissance licence holders from drilling or excavating. The groups also highlighted Section 99(6) of the same Act, which makes it an offence to use floating platforms or other equipment for mining or dredging to obtain minerals in natural water bodies, including the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf.
Seabed Disturbance Threatens Ghana's Artisanal Fisheries
The fisheries subsector supports roughly 10 percent of Ghana’s population, according to the Marine Fisheries Management Plan 2022–2026. The 2022 Canoe Frame Survey recorded 110,351 marine artisanal fishers and 12,181 canoes. Furthermore, the Fisheries Commission’s 2025 Annual Performance Report shows artisanal fishers landed 282,658.29 metric tonnes of fish, accounting for 63.68 percent of total landings.
The coalition warned that seabed disturbance, sediment plumes, and acoustic surveys could disrupt fish habitats, spawning and nursery grounds, and benthic habitats. The groups drew comparisons to offshore mining impacts in Norton Sound in Alaska and Bangka-Belitung in Indonesia. The CSOs argued that Ghana cannot afford another environmental blind spot that threatens food security and coastal livelihoods.
Key Demands Issued by the Coalition
The open letter outlines demands for President Mahama’s administration:
* Immediate Halt: Suspend further progression of the offshore gold project and order a comprehensive independent review.
* Review: The review should determine whether Ghana has an adequate marine spatial-planning and regulatory framework to ensure activity can be undertaken without unacceptable harm to marine ecosystems, fisheries, food security and coastal livelihoods.
* Consultation: Convene an urgent meeting involving Government, affected fishing communities, fishers’ associations and civil society organisations to consider the concerns raised.
* Public Disclosure: Disclose all licence coordinates, maps, work programmes, environmental requirements, and regulatory approvals, while ensuring fishing communities have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their safety and livelihoods.
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