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.”