The Minority in Parliament has raised serious concerns about Ghana’s revised lithium agreement with Barari DV, branding it a missed opportunity to secure maximum benefits from the country’s burgeoning green minerals sector.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, the Ranking Member on the Committee on Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, lamented that Ghana’s share of the profits under the revised agreement remains at a mere five percent – a figure he says offers no improvement on the initial proposal.

“Lithium is Ghana’s first green mineral and will set the benchmark for future critical mineral agreements. Weak deals now risk setting a poor precedent for the country,” Mr. Ampratwum Sarpong stated emphatically.

The Minority MPs also questioned the extent of consultations undertaken before finalizing the agreement, alleging that the views of civil society organizations, traditional leaders, and affected mining communities were largely ignored.

Mr. Ampratwum Sarpong further highlighted what he described as inconsistencies in the government’s policy stance. He pointed out that while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) previously opposed a 10 percent arrangement during the previous administration, they are now defending a lower five percent deal under the same legal framework.

“This is not policy coherence but policy regression,” he asserted.

The Minority is now calling on the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to revisit the lithium agreement to ensure Ghana receives a fairer share of the proceeds. They also advocate for the establishment of transparent and data-driven royalty regulations for the sector.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE