NDC HAS TURNED GHANA’S LITHIUM WEALTH INTO A CLOSED-DOOR DEAL FOR THE WELL-CONNECTED: TRANSPARENCY SACRIFICED, COMMUNITIES IGNORED!
Ghana’s mineral sovereignty is under threat. What should be a transparent process for leveraging Ghana’s lithium, a critical mineral at the heart of the global green economy, has instead become a secretive negotiation table, restricted to elites with political connections, while ordinary Ghanaians and affected communities are kept in the dark. This is not governance; this is opacity at the highest level that undermines national interests.
Under the NDC government led by President John Dramani Mahama, the lithium agreement with Barari DV Ghana Limited, centred on the Ewoyaa Lithium Project in the Central Region, has become a stubborn symbol of poor governance. Critics have consistently pointed to the lack of full public disclosure of key fiscal terms and benefits for Ghanaians, particularly communities bearing the environmental cost of extraction.
Most troubling is how the NDC-controlled process has shielded critical agreements from open public and parliamentary debate. Instead of thorough scrutiny, the government attempted to rush the Minerals and Mining Royalty Regulations 2025 through Parliament as subsidiary legislation, a move designed to avoid rigorous debate and public scrutiny and create loopholes favouring politically connected actors. This approach contrasts sharply with the principles of open governance, public participation, and accountability, which Ghana’s citizens deserve.
Stakeholders, including civil society groups, think tanks like IMANI Africa, and community representatives, have raised alarms about the downward revision of the lithium deal’s royalty terms from a previously negotiated 10 percent to the statutory 5 percent rate. Critics argue this reduction chips away at Ghana’s fiscal gains without clear justification and potentially transfers tens of millions of dollars annually in benefits away from the state.
Even the Chamber of Mines and broad industry experts have warned against the imprudent push to treat royalty regulations as subsidiary legislation rather than full parliamentary law, a process that weakens national oversight and accountability.
A government acting in good faith would not seek to contain mineral wealth discussions behind closed doors. Ghana’s lithium, a strategic resource with projected rising global demand, should not be negotiated in secrecy or structured to benefit a select few. Transparency strengthens investor confidence, safeguards communities, and ensures that mineral wealth advances national development goals.
The NPP insists that Ghana’s resources must be managed with full transparency, legal clarity, and public engagement. This is how we protect Ghana’s mineral wealth, ensure equitable returns for future generations, and uphold the sovereignty that every Ghanaian deserves.
By: Blessing Mantey
