Lands Minister Praised for Lithium Deal Talks Despite Resignation Calls

The Executive Director of the Centre for Extractives and Development Africa (CEDA), Samuel Bekoe, has lauded Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, for his engagement with stakeholders regarding the contentious Barari DV lithium agreement, despite calls for the Minister’s dismissal from the Minority in Parliament.

Mr. Bekoe, speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Wednesday, December 17, emphasized that the Minister’s dialogue with civil society groups was a positive step. “I was part of the civil society group that the Lands Minister met, and I must say I commend him for the engagement with civil society,” he stated.

He highlighted the long-standing advocacy by civil society organizations for a robust national policy on transition minerals like lithium, arguing it requires a different approach than traditional minerals such as gold. “Lithium shouldn’t be treated like gold,” Mr. Bekoe stressed.

While acknowledging that individual agreements shouldn’t dictate national policy, Mr. Bekoe cautioned against unfairly blaming the current Minister for existing concerns. He firmly rejected accusations that Mr. Buah misled Parliament with a revised agreement.

“When you compare the old agreement and the new one—which we already had even before the Minister invited us for engagement—it is clear that the Lands Minister strengthened the agreement rather than weakened it,” he explained. He indicated the current version offers more protections for Ghana’s interests.

The commendation comes as the Minority in Parliament continues to accuse the Minister of mismanaging the lithium deal and deliberately misleading the House, leading to demands for his removal from office.

However, civil society groups maintain that the ongoing stakeholder consultations present a crucial opportunity to refine the agreement and establish a comprehensive policy framework that will secure Ghana’s long-term benefits from the management of these vital transition minerals.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE