Central Region Chiefs Explode: ‘Who Told Government to Slash Our Lithium Money?
The traditional chiefs of Ewoyaa, Krampakrom, and the surrounding towns that are located in the Central Region have voiced their disapproval of the government’s decision to reduce the lithium royalty rate in Ghana from 10% to 5%. They have described this move as an unfair treatment of the people who are impacted by it. Barari Ghana Limited, a mining company, made a request for a reduction in the terms of the lease that it had for mining operations, alleging a significant decrease in the pricing of lithium on the world market as the reason for the request. The chiefs stated that they did not become aware of the consultation process until the dailies published a call for stakeholder inputs. This occurred on the same day as a Resource Index Dashboard training workshop that was hosted on Wednesday, November 26, by Friends of the Nation, a local nonprofit organization, and the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP).On Thursday, November 27th, Charles Paa Grant, who serves as the secretary to the chief of Krampakrom, spoke to Citi News and asked the government to put a stop to the implementation of the five percent rate and to completely engage with the stakeholders. “In order to get straight to the point, I believe that we ought to adhere to the 10 percent since they have not given a clear indication of whether it will be by the year 2023 or within the next few years.” Should prices rise, they have the option of reversing that decision or increasing them to any level. However, according to what he said, they are certain that they are only going to pay five percent, which is equivalent to robbing them. The chiefs issued a warning that the decreased royalty rate may have the potential to jeopardize anticipated development initiatives as well as the social infrastructure of the communities that are impacted by lithium mining. Prior to the commencement of full-scale mining operations, residents have expressed their worries about the potential repercussions on their sources of income. According to the farmers, who make up the majority of the population, agricultural farming has already been affected by the project. “They prevented us from carrying out our duties. Since the year before, we have not been cultivating land in our villages. They have taken away from us the ability to construct, produce, and engage in a number of other activities. What will we be doing throughout that period of time? “Will they be providing us with compensation?” a resident questioned.
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