By Sarah Adwoa Akuetteh:

Atlantic Lithium Ghana Limited says it remains committed to prioritising local employment at its Ewoyaa Lithium Project in the Mfantseman Municipality as the company edges closer to the final stages of regulatory approvals.

Speaking on the sidelines of the October session of the African Extractive Media Fellowship training in Accra, the company’s General Manager, Ahmed Salim, disclosed that as of October 2024, the project had a workforce of about 100 people, but the number currently stands at 67. He attributed the adjustment to the evolving stages of project development.

According to Mr. Salim, Atlantic Lithium has so far invested more than GH¢68 million in project development, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that the residents of Ewoyaa and surrounding communities benefit directly from employment opportunities once full operations commence.

“Our primary objective is to ensure that the local communities are the first to benefit when the mine becomes operational. Employment creation for residents remains a top priority,” he said.

His remarks come after the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, Dr. Ebenezer Prince Arhin, called on the company to prioritise the hiring of local residents in its workforce plans.

Although the company is yet to begin full-scale operations, Mr. Salim revealed that Atlantic Lithium has already started contributing to national revenue through taxes. In 2024 alone, the firm paid about GH¢19.63 million in taxes, including GH¢11.37 million in Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), GH¢4.34 million in annual mineral rights, GH¢3.45 million in withholding tax, and GH¢458,000 in annual ground rent.

“We have not yet started production, but we are already paying our fair share of taxes. Once we begin production and make profit, we will start paying dividends,” Mr. Salim explained.

The Ewoyaa project, located near Saltpond in the Central Region, is Ghana’s first major lithium mining initiative a development seen as crucial to positioning the country as a key player in the global electric vehicle and battery value chain.

Currently, the project has received several regulatory approvals including the Environmental Permit, Mine Operating Permit, Water Use Permit, and Land Use Change Certificate. However, Parliamentary ratification of the mining lease remains outstanding.

The company has outlined its next key priorities, which include securing parliamentary ratification, finalising a Strategic Project Investment with the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), making a Final Investment Decision (FID), and commencing land compensation and ground-breaking activities.

Mr. Salim expressed optimism that the long-awaited parliamentary approval would be secured before the end of the year, paving the way for construction to begin.

“We are hopeful that once ratification is achieved, we can move quickly to begin land compensation and ultimately break ground,” he noted.

If approved, the Ewoyaa Lithium Project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, boost local infrastructure, and contribute to Ghana’s ambition of becoming a key hub for battery minerals in West Africa.

President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and French President Emmanuel Macron held extensive bilateral talks at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, discussing security cooperation, economic development, and regional stability on the sidelines of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum.

The meeting opened on a solemn note, with President Macron offering condolences for the recent passing of Ghana’s former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.

Both leaders praised the Paris Peace Initiative and the strengthening of relations between Ghana and France. A key focus of the talks was Ghana’s request for French assistance in combating piracy in its territorial waters. President Mahama sought support to protect Ghana’s maritime integrity from increasing piratical threats in the Gulf of Guinea.

The two leaders also discussed a French concessionary loan for Ghana’s health sector that is awaiting parliamentary approval. President Mahama asked his French counterpart to use his influence with the International Monetary Fund to secure Ghana’s access to the facility from the French Development Bank, noting Ghana’s improved debt-to-GDP ratio.

President Mahama, in his capacity as the African Union (AU) Champion of African Financial Institutions, advocated for collaboration to renegotiate loan agreements with lower interest rates for infrastructure projects.

He emphasised Ghana’s role as home to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat and the need for enhanced road infrastructure to facilitate intra-African trade.

The Mahama highlighted Ghana’s ambitious one-million-coders programme, which has already registered 200,000 students. He requested French support to train additional French language teachers to improve language education in Ghanaian schools.

President Macron noted several upcoming opportunities for collaboration, including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi in May 2026, where Ghana could showcase its digital innovation capabilities, the African Union-European Union summit in Angola, and the June 2026 G7 summit, where France would advocate for increased support for Ghana.

President Mahama raised the subject of reparations for slavery, which Ghana is currently championing. President Macron pledged support for the initiative, noting that France had criminalised slavery, while cautioning that the reparations discussion should acknowledge the involvement of various actors beyond Western powers.

The leaders discussed the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region, particularly terrorist incursions in Mali and other countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

President Macron commended President Mahama’s leadership in the subregion, and Ghana’s economic reforms, pledging continued French support for Ghana’s development agenda.

By: Sarah Adwoa Akuetteh:

The Africa Extractives Media Fellowship (AEMF) was officially launched on Monday, October 28, 2025, at the Australian High Commission in Accra, marking a significant step toward strengthening journalism in Africa’s extractive sector.

Speaking at the launch, Program Lead Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah revealed that the six-month fully in-person fellowship, spearheaded by NewsWire Africa, attracted over 300 applications from journalists across Ghana.

He noted that the initiative aims to equip 30 selected participants 60 percent of whom are women with practical skills in data-driven reporting, sustainability, and gender-sensitive journalism.

According to Mr. Afreh-Nuamah, the fellowship seeks to nurture “a new generation of African journalists equipped to shape the continent’s extractive narrative with courage, accuracy, and empathy.”

A Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, who graced the event, commended the program as a model of international collaboration and national development.

She emphasized that government remains committed to ensuring that Ghana’s extractive resources benefit both current and future generations, highlighting transparency, inclusion, and youth empowerment as critical pillars of democratic growth.

The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Berenice Owen-Jones, underscored the importance of media in promoting accountability and peace. “A responsive and inclusive media does more than inform it holds power to account and fosters peace through understanding,” she said. She also noted that over 500 Ghanaians have benefited from Australian Government scholarships, underscoring the strong educational and professional ties between both nations.

Also in attendance was the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, who urged journalists to prioritize ethical reporting, gender inclusion, and accountability in their coverage of Africa’s extractive industries.

The AEMF, through hands-on training, mentorship, and field exposure, is expected to bridge the knowledge gap in extractive sector reporting, fostering transparency and amplifying the voices of communities impacted by resource activities.