President John Dramani Mahama has declared that Ghana’s mining sector must prioritize community welfare and long-term sustainability, insisting that extractive activities should leave a positive and lasting impact on host communities.

Speaking at the maiden Mining Local Content Summit in Takoradi, President Mahama stressed that responsible mining must go hand in hand with economic growth.

“Mining must leave our communities better than it found them,” the President stated firmly, drawing applause from stakeholders gathered at the summit.

Ghana, Africa’s leading gold producer and one of the top six globally, generated nearly $6.6 billion in export revenues from the extractive sector in 2023. However, President Mahama noted that the benefits of mining have not always translated into meaningful development for mining communities.

“We have been prolific producers, but we have yet to become full participants in the extracted value chain,” he said. “This summit is about closing that gap.”

Responsible and Community-Centered Mining

The President emphasized that local content cannot be separated from responsible environmental and social practices.

“Local content cannot be separated from responsible and community-centered mining,” he said. “Traditional authorities and MMDAs will continue to play a decisive role in monitoring compliance and safeguarding community interests.”

President Mahama revealed that government is strengthening development agreements and community engagement frameworks under revised mining regulations to ensure transparency and accountability.

He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling illegal mining and environmental degradation.

“We will continue the fight against illegal mining and work to formalize the artisanal and small-scale mining sector,” he said. “We will intensify efforts to clean our water bodies and reclaim degraded lands.”

Beyond Raw Exports

Beyond environmental responsibility, President Mahama called for structural reforms to ensure Ghana benefits more from its mineral wealth.

“It is no longer acceptable for Ghana to continue exporting raw gold and importing finished products,” he declared. “Our mineral wealth must power Ghana’s industrialization—not merely sustain export dependence.”

He outlined a five-pillar strategy aimed at boosting local participation, promoting value addition, strengthening skills development, advancing technology and innovation, and expanding indigenous ownership in the sector.

“What will be the legacy of our mineral wealth 100 years from now?” the President asked. “Will it be recorded only in export statistics and royalty payments, or will it be remembered as the foundation upon which we built world-class industries and thriving Ghanaian enterprises?”

Call for Shared Responsibility

President Mahama stressed that government alone cannot transform the mining sector.

“Government cannot achieve this transformation alone,” he said. “To Ghanaian entrepreneurs, the bar for quality and innovation is high, but the opportunity is unprecedented. Prepare yourselves. Build partnerships. Compete boldly.”

He also assured international investors of Ghana’s stability while calling for genuine collaboration.

“Ghana offers you stability, policy clarity and long-term partnership, but we expect genuine collaboration that embeds capacity within our economy,” he stated.

Concluding his address, President Mahama expressed optimism that the Mining Local Content Summit would mark a turning point for the industry.

“If we get this right, our greatest export will not be raw gold or lithium,” he said. “Our greatest export will be Ghanaian talent, Ghanaian technology, Ghanaian enterprise, and a resilient and competitive mining economy.”

The summit is expected to produce policy recommendations aimed at deepening local participation and ensuring that Ghana’s mineral wealth translates into sustainable and inclusive national development.

President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a comprehensive five-pillar strategy aimed at transforming Ghana’s mining sector and deepening local participation across the value chain.

Speaking at the maiden Mining Local Content Summit in Takoradi, President Mahama said the time had come for Ghana to move beyond being a major producer of minerals to becoming a full beneficiary of the value derived from them.

“We have been prolific producers, but we have yet to become full participants in the extracted value chain,” he said. “This summit is about closing that gap.”

Ghana remains Africa’s leading gold producer and ranks among the top six globally. In 2023, the extractive sector generated nearly $6.6 billion in export revenues. However, according to the President, much of the high-value activity—advanced engineering, equipment manufacturing, processing and refining—continues to take place outside the country.

The Five Strategic Pillars

President Mahama outlined five key pillars that will guide government policy going forward.

Transformational Partnerships

The first pillar focuses on moving from transactional procurement to transformational partnerships.

“Local content must evolve from transactional procurement to transformational partnerships,” he stated. “Equity participation, technology transfer and knowledge sharing must become standard practice—not the exception.”

He disclosed that government is reviewing and refining mining legislation and regulatory frameworks to ensure Ghanaian enterprises move up the value chain—from suppliers of consumables to manufacturers and innovators.

Value Addition and Industrialization

The second pillar targets value addition and reducing dependence on raw exports.

“It is no longer acceptable for Ghana to continue exporting raw gold and importing finished products,” President Mahama declared. “Our mineral wealth must power Ghana’s industrialization—not merely sustain export dependence.”

He announced plans to support the establishment of refineries and bullion infrastructure, promote mineral-based industrial clusters, and facilitate downstream processing of bauxite, manganese and lithium, particularly within the context of the global green energy transition.

Skills Development

The third pillar centers on building a competitive workforce.

“No mining sector can be competitive without a skilled workforce,” the President said, pledging to strengthen institutions such as the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and technical universities.

He emphasized the need to prioritize skills in automation, robotics, drone technology, data analytics, environmental sustainability and renewable energy integration. “We must train not only miners, but mining technologists, engineers and innovators,” he added.

Technology and Innovation

Under the fourth pillar, President Mahama highlighted the need to embrace digital transformation.

“The future of mining is digital, sustainable and technology-driven,” he noted. “Ghana must become a hub for AI-assisted exploration, IoT-enabled asset management, and blockchain-based supply chain transparency.”

He revealed that government will explore establishing a National Mining Innovation and Research Hub to institutionalize knowledge sharing and technology adaptation.

“This summit must mark the beginning of a structured ecosystem—not a one-off event,” he said.

Indigenous Participation and Responsible Mining

The fifth pillar focuses on strengthening indigenous Ghanaian ownership and ensuring responsible mining practices.

Government, he said, will support the scaling up of Ghanaian private sector players from subcontracting to full ownership of world-class mining operations.

He cited the Blackwater Gold Project being developed by Engineers & Planners Limited as a milestone. “This is the first mining project of such scale being undertaken by a wholly Ghanaian-owned company,” he noted.

President Mahama stressed that local content must go hand in hand with environmental stewardship.

“Mining must leave our communities better than it found them,” he said, reaffirming government’s commitment to fighting illegal mining, reclaiming degraded lands and cleaning polluted water bodies.

A Shared Responsibility

The President emphasized that the transformation of the mining sector requires collaboration among government, industry and communities.

“Government cannot achieve this transformation alone,” he said. “To Ghanaian entrepreneurs, the bar for quality and innovation is high, but the opportunity is unprecedented. Prepare yourselves. Build partnerships. Compete boldly.”

He assured international investors of Ghana’s stability while demanding genuine collaboration.

“Ghana offers you stability, policy clarity and long-term partnership, but we expect genuine collaboration that embeds capacity within our economy,” he stated.

Concluding his address, President Mahama challenged stakeholders to reflect on the long-term legacy of Ghana’s mineral wealth.

“If we get this right, our greatest export will not be raw gold or lithium,” he said. “Our greatest export will be Ghanaian talent, Ghanaian technology, Ghanaian enterprise, and a resilient and competitive mining economy.”

President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to intensify efforts to restore Ghana’s polluted water bodies and reclaim lands degraded by mining activities, describing environmental protection as central to the country’s mining reforms.

Addressing stakeholders at the maiden Mining Local Content Summit in Takoradi, President Mahama stressed that economic benefits from mining must not come at the cost of environmental destruction.

“We’ll increase our efforts to clean our water bodies and reclaim the lands that have been mined out,” he declared. “Mining must leave our communities better than it found them.”

Environmental Cost of Mining

Illegal and poorly regulated mining activities have severely polluted major rivers and degraded vast tracts of land across several regions, sparking public concern and calls for stronger action.

President Mahama acknowledged the scale of the challenge but assured that his administration remains committed to reversing the damage.

“We cannot speak about sustainable development while our rivers are polluted and our lands are scarred by abandoned pits,” he said. “Environmental stewardship must go hand in hand with economic progress.”

Strengthening Enforcement and Community Oversight

The President revealed that government would strengthen regulatory enforcement and deepen collaboration with local authorities to safeguard affected communities.

“Traditional authorities and MMDAs will continue to play a decisive role in monitoring compliance and protecting community interests,” he stated.

He emphasized that local content policies must be aligned with responsible and community-centered mining practices.

“Local content cannot be separated from responsible mining,” he noted. “Our mineral wealth must translate into improved livelihoods, restored environments and long-term prosperity.”

Formalizing Small-Scale Mining

President Mahama also reiterated his commitment to reforming the artisanal and small-scale mining sector to ensure sustainability.

“We’ll continue the fight against illegal gold mining and work to formalize the artisanal and small-scale mining sectors,” he said, adding that formalization would include improved regulation, access to training and environmentally sound mining methods.

A Legacy of Responsibility

The President challenged stakeholders to reflect on the long-term environmental legacy of Ghana’s mineral wealth.

“What will be the legacy of our mineral wealth 100 years from now?” he asked. “It must not be polluted rivers and degraded lands, but thriving communities and a responsible mining industry.”

He concluded with a call for collective action.

“This is a shared responsibility. Government cannot do it alone,” he said. “If we get this right, we will build a mining sector that is both prosperous and sustainable.”