Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah
Parliament has ratified six mining lease agreements between the Government of Ghana and six mining companies, paving the way for new and expanded mining operations expected to deliver socio-economic benefits to host communities and the country.
The companies are incorporated under the laws of Ghana and have secured leases for gold and other mineral exploration and mining in the Western, Central and Upper East regions.
The first agreement is between the Government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Finance, and Golden Star (Wassa) Limited for the mining of gold over a 63.00-square-kilometre concession at Wassa Akyempin in the Wassa East District of the Western Region.
The second agreement is with Maripoma Mining Services Limited for the mining of gold and other minerals over a 63.00-square-kilometre concession at Zongoiri in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region.
The third and fourth agreements are with Perseus Mining (Ghana) Limited for the mining of gold over concessions at Nanankaw Agyakusu (55.44 km²) and Ayanfuri (51.45 km²), located in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region and the Wassa Amenfi East District of the Western Region.
The fifth agreement is with Damang Gold Mine Limited for the mining of gold and other minerals over a 37.83-square-kilometre concession at Damang in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
The sixth agreement grants Damang Gold Mine Limited mining rights over a 33.58-square-kilometre concession at Lima South, also in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality.
The agreements were laid before Parliament by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, on July 25 and July 29, 2026, and were subsequently referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands and Natural Resources for consideration.
The committee noted that the ratification of the agreements is in line with Article 268(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 5(4) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), which require parliamentary approval for all transactions involving the grant of mineral rights in Ghana.
According to the committee, the constitutional requirement ensures legislative oversight and safeguards the national interest in the management of the country’s mineral resources.
The report indicated that the Minerals Commission conducted detailed technical and financial assessments before recommending the grant of the leases and was satisfied that the companies possess the financial, technical and human resource capacity to undertake the proposed mining operations.
The committee, however, expressed concern that portions of some of the mining leases overlap with forest reserves, although the leases were granted in accordance with the law in force at the time.
It noted that the lease agreements prohibit mining activities within 100 metres of any forest reserve, river, stream, public road, railway, building, reservoir or dam without the prior written approval of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
The committee further stated that the grant of a mining lease does not automatically permit mining within a forest reserve, explaining that companies must first obtain entry permits and satisfy additional regulatory and environmental requirements.
It therefore recommended that the Minerals Commission and other regulatory agencies strictly enforce all statutory and environmental safeguards to ensure the effective protection of affected forest reserves.
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus criticised the government for failing to renegotiate the state’s equity stake in Damang Gold Mine from 10 per cent to at least 30 per cent, arguing that the move would have generated greater value and increased revenue for the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Minority, the Ranking Member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, said Parliament should have been given sufficient time to thoroughly scrutinise the transaction and all relevant documentation before granting approval.
He described Damang as one of Ghana’s strategic mining assets whose transfer warranted greater parliamentary scrutiny.
Credit: Graphiconline
