Story by: Sarah Adwoa Akutteh

The former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Rev Dr Joyce Aryee, has called on Ghana to set a clear long-term vision for its mining sector to avoid drifting without national direction. Speaking at the African Media Extractive Fellowship Training in Accra on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, Dr Aryee emphasized the urgent need for the country to decide its future with mining.

“Ghana must decide where it wants to go with mining. What do we want to achieve? What is the end game? Mining cannot continue without a clear national vision,” she said.

Dr Aryee highlighted mining as not just an economic activity but a complex issue affecting social, environmental, and human development. “Mining is more than minerals; it affects communities, their land, water sources, livelihoods, culture and dignity,” she explained.

With mining contributing over 8% to Ghana’s GDP and generating an estimated GH₵6.8 billion in the second quarter of 2025, the sector provides significant jobs. However, Dr Aryee warned these gains do not justify ongoing harm perceived by local communities.

She urged Ghana to balance economic growth with social protection, land rights, and environmental safety, describing this as the dual mandate of mining: growing the economy while protecting those impacted by extraction.

Ethical leadership, she insisted, is essential for sustainable mining. “Leadership must be honest, transparent and accountable. Mining companies and policymakers must engage communities, listen to concerns and involve them in decision-making.”

Addressing illegal mining or galamsey, Dr Aryee said lack of a clear pathway to integrate artisanal miners into the formal sector fuels the problem. “It takes courage to say we cannot allow galamsey to continue, but without national clarity and firmness, destruction will persist.”

Dr Aryee called on journalists to promote accurate and fair reporting to shape national discourse. “Your work should inform public understanding, encourage responsible leadership and build peace.”

She concluded by urging Ghana to adopt a unified, long-term mining framework prioritizing ethics, sustainability, inclusivity, and community partnership. “Mining must serve all Ghanaians equitably. We need a vision that protects lives, land and livelihoods.”

Parliament’s Committee on Lands and Natural Resources has announced it will not approve the new lithium agreement until broad public consultations are completed and the Minerals and Mining Act is reviewed to address concerns over royalties.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, Committee Chairman Collins Dauda emphasized that the five per cent royalty set by law remains the only enforceable rate. Any higher rate would require an amendment to the Minerals and Mining Act.

Mr Dauda explained that a previous proposal for a 10 per cent royalty in the 2024 agreement between Ghana and Barari DV Ghana Limited could not proceed because it was inconsistent with existing law. The Committee had advised the former minister to amend the Minerals and Mining Act so that the rate in the agreement would align with Act 703, as amended by Act 794. He noted that no report on the 2024 agreement had been submitted to Parliament for consideration.

He also dismissed claims that the Minority had rejected the previous deal as misleading, clarifying that only Barari DV Ghana Limited would have paid the 10 per cent royalty under the old arrangement, while other major mining companies, including Newmont, Gold Fields, and AngloGold, would have continued paying five per cent. The Committee viewed this as unfair and discriminatory, stressing the need for a level playing field across the sector.

Regarding the new agreement submitted by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Armah-Kofi Buah, Mr Dauda said the document does not specify a royalty rate, instead referring to the five per cent provided by law. He noted that revenue from a 5 per cent royalty differs significantly from a 10 per cent rate, and any increase would require legislative amendment.

The Committee has launched a public consultation process on the agreement, which was advertised from November 13 to November 27, inviting memoranda from civil society, NGOs, technical experts, and interested individuals. The Committee also plans to invite stakeholders with expertise to help analyze the agreement before any decision is made.

Mr Dauda highlighted that the 2025 Budget, at paragraph 475, outlines the government’s plan to review the minerals and mining policy and Act 703. He said the Committee prefers that any amendment to the Act be brought to Parliament alongside the agreement so both can be considered together. “We make the laws and we expect the laws to be implemented. We cannot make laws and then take actions that go against them,” he said.

Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor supported the Committee’s stance, emphasizing that no one should pressure the government to rush a decision without resolving the legal issues.

The Committee stressed that the ongoing process aims to safeguard the interests of communities living within lithium concession areas and protect the country’s broader interests.

Former staff of the Bogoso-Prestea Gold Mine are calling on the government to step in quickly after months of unpaid benefits following the change in management of the mine.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the group’s Convenor, Gabriel Madobi, said life has become extremely difficult for the affected workers since the mining lease of Future Global Resources (FGR) was terminated and reassigned to Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL) in November 2024.

Madobi explained that although HGL assured workers it would honor all financial obligations, the company has not fulfilled several key commitments. These include Provident Fund contributions, End of Contract Benefits, Outstanding Leave Balances, and the 2023 Bonus.

“We are not here only to fight for what is due us financially; we stand here today on behalf of many in pursuit of justice, accountability, and a dignified future for the men and women who built and sustained this mine,” he said.

He added that workers initially welcomed the new operator with hope that operations would stabilise and long standing issues would finally be resolved. Instead, the situation has worsened, with the company struggling to meet its financial responsibilities and many workers already disengaged.

Madobi is appealing to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, to intervene without delay to ensure all outstanding payments are settled. He also wants the government to conduct a full review of the matter and take firm action to secure the future of the mine.

The workers are further calling for HGL to be replaced with a more financially stable operator that can invest in the mine, restore operations, and support long term growth.