Isaac Tandoh
Ghana has called for mining partnerships with Russia and other countries to prioritise local mineral processing, technology transfer and skills development rather than the extraction and export of raw materials.
Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, delivered the position on behalf of the Ghanaian government at the Second Russian-African Raw Materials Dialogue in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Mr Tandoh said Ghana would prioritise partnerships that enable the country to add value to its mineral resources locally, stressing that cooperation should deliver measurable benefits to Ghanaian industries, engineers and institutions.
He cited figures presented at the ministerial roundtable indicating that eight of the world’s 20 leading gold-producing countries are in Africa, while only about two per cent of the continent’s natural resources are processed locally.
According to him, Ghana is open to knowledge sharing and the transfer of advanced technologies from Russia and other countries, but such cooperation must be structured to build domestic capacity.
“All future cooperations must move beyond simple raw material extraction toward a partnership of sovereign equals,” he said.
Mr Tandoh said Ghana had established a framework to guide the future development of its mineral resources and was expanding its focus beyond traditional minerals to include lithium, iron ore and bauxite.
He cited state-backed development institutions, including the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) and the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), as part of the country’s efforts to develop these resources.
He also highlighted the Minerals Commission’s digital Mining Cadastre Administration System (MCAS) and geofencing technology, saying the tools supported the regulation of mineral rights and mining operations.
Mr Tandoh called for a formal Ghana-Russia Mining Cooperation Framework based on reciprocity and mutual benefit rather than dependency.
He said Russia’s demand for critical minerals could complement Ghana’s resource base, creating opportunities for cooperation in mineral processing, industrial development and technical training.
He stressed that technical training and industrial cooperation should be delivered through Ghanaian institutions to ensure lasting skills transfer and stronger local capacity.
The Second Russian-African Raw Materials Dialogue is being held from October 12 to 16, 2026, in Saint Petersburg.
Organised by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UNESCO International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education and Saint Petersburg Mining University, the event brings together government representatives, academic leaders and industry experts to discuss cooperation in natural resource management, technological innovation and engineering education.
The organisers say representatives from more than 40 African countries and over 500 participants are attending the dialogue.
