Nurture Nature Foundation (NNF) has called on the government to permanently end GoldCoast Resource Corp.’s offshore gold exploration project, warning that the activity could undermine Ghana’s commitment to protecting at least 30 per cent of its land and ocean by 2030 under the global 30 by 30 conservation target.
The Foundation says the government must take decisive and legally binding steps to terminate the project, arguing that the suspension of operational activities does not provide adequate protection for Ghana’s marine environment. It maintains that as long as the reconnaissance licences held by GoldCoast GRC Ghana Limited remain valid, the possibility of the project resuming cannot be ruled out.
NNF is particularly concerned about the potential implications of the proposed exploration for marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal livelihoods, as well as reports that the licensed areas may overlap with, or affect, the marine area intended for protection. The Foundation is therefore demanding greater transparency from the relevant authorities, including the publication of official coordinates to establish whether the exploration licences intersect with the proposed or designated conservation area.
The Foundation insists that Ghana’s efforts to achieve the 30 by 30 ocean conservation goal must be reflected in decisions concerning activities in its coastal waters. It warns that the country risks undermining its own environmental commitments if it establishes marine protected areas while allowing activities that could compromise the ecosystems those areas are intended to safeguard.
Concerns over marine conservation commitments
The call comes following the Minerals Commission’s clarification that the offshore reconnaissance licences granted to GoldCoast remain valid despite a directive suspending operational activities pending stakeholder consultations and the completion of relevant regulatory processes.
For NNF, the continued validity of the licences raises concerns about the long-term future of the project. The Foundation argues that a temporary suspension leaves the door open for operations to resume once the necessary regulatory conditions have been met.
It is therefore urging the government to pursue a permanent end to the project through lawful measures rather than allow the current suspension to become a temporary pause.
The Foundation’s position also comes as Ghana seeks to strengthen its marine conservation efforts following the announcement of its first Marine Protected Area in April 2026.
While welcoming the development as an important step towards protecting marine biodiversity, NNF says the designation of protected areas must be supported by effective management and decisions that prevent potentially damaging activities from undermining conservation objectives.
It has called for the official coordinates of both the offshore exploration licences and the Marine Protected Area to be made public to enable an informed assessment of any overlap.
“If Ghana is serious about achieving the 30 by 30 target, then every decision affecting our ocean must be consistent with that commitment. We cannot declare marine areas protected while allowing activities that could undermine the very ecosystems those areas are intended to conserve,” the Foundation said.
The 30 by 30 target forms part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted by parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It calls for at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and ocean to be effectively conserved and managed by 2030.
NNF says Ghana’s progress towards the target will depend not only on declaring protected areas but also on ensuring that they deliver meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. It also links the issue to Sustainable Development Goal 14, which promotes the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources.
Coastal livelihoods at stake
The Foundation argues that the potential economic benefits of offshore gold exploration must be weighed against the possible risks to fisheries, marine habitats, food security and the livelihoods of communities that depend on the sea.
Fishing remains an important source of income and food for many coastal households in Ghana. NNF says protecting marine ecosystems must therefore be central to national development planning, particularly when proposed activities could have lasting implications for ocean resources.
The Executive Director of Nurture Nature Foundation, Peter Asiedu, said the country’s development choices must reinforce, rather than contradict, its environmental commitments.
“An ocean that feeds generations must not be put at risk for gold. Ghana cannot commit to protecting 30 per cent of its ocean by 2030 while pursuing activities that could undermine the very purpose of marine conservation. Our development choices must reinforce our environmental commitments, not contradict them. Coastal communities deserve a future secured by lasting protection, not a temporary pause,” he said.
NNF maintains that the government has an opportunity to demonstrate that its conservation ambitions go beyond policy declarations by ensuring that decisions on offshore exploration are consistent with the long-term protection of the marine environment.
It says the absence of a conclusive finding of environmental damage should not prevent the authorities from adopting a precautionary approach where potentially significant impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods are a concern.
NAFAG raises fisheries concerns
The Foundation’s demand follows concerns raised by the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), which, in a petition dated October 6, called for the suspension of the offshore gold exploration project pending further consultation and clarification of its potential implications for fisheries resources, marine habitats and coastal communities.
According to media reports, NAFAG said GoldCoast held 10 offshore reconnaissance licences covering approximately 10,000 square kilometres between Half Assini and Winneba.
The association requested the official coordinates of the licensed areas to determine whether they overlap with the Inshore Exclusion Zone. It also sought clarification on the fisheries and environmental safeguards applicable to the proposed exploration.
While NAFAG has called for a suspension pending further consultation, NNF is demanding that the project be permanently stopped.
The Foundation says consultations must give fishing communities, scientists, conservation organisations and other affected stakeholders a meaningful opportunity to influence the final decision on the project.
It cautions that the process should not be treated merely as a procedural requirement to facilitate the eventual resumption of operations. Instead, it argues, stakeholders must be allowed to question whether the project should proceed at all.
GoldCoast says licences remain valid
In a statement issued on October 8, GoldCoast Resource Corp. said its reconnaissance licences remained valid, subject to their terms and applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
The company said it completed its airborne magnetic survey on August 22 and had not conducted any operations under the licences since that date
It added that any subsequent phase of the project would depend on obtaining the appropriate environmental permits and a prospecting licence following stakeholder engagement.
GoldCoast also maintained that it was complying with Ghanaian laws and regulations and pledged to safeguard the marine and coastal environment.
However, NNF says the company’s assurances about future compliance do not settle the fundamental question of whether offshore gold exploration is compatible with Ghana’s marine conservation objectives.
The Foundation is calling on the government, the Minerals Commission and other relevant regulatory institutions to publish the licence instruments, official coordinates, relevant environmental assessments and consultation records to enable public scrutiny of the project.
It is also urging the authorities to assess the proposed exploration against Ghana’s international conservation commitments and adopt a clear, legally grounded decision that provides lasting protection for the country’s ocean resources.
NNF maintains that the outcome of the controversy will test Ghana’s commitment to the 30 by 30 target and its ability to balance economic ambitions with environmental protection.
For the Foundation, achieving the ocean conservation goal requires more than designating protected areas. It demands decisions that safeguard marine ecosystems, protect fishing communities and ensure that Ghana’s ocean resources remain available to future generations.
It insists that the current suspension of offshore gold exploration should lead to a permanent end to the project if the country is to demonstrate consistency between its conservation commitments and development priorities.
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