Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team, Theophilus Dzimegah Esq., has defended government’s local content directive in the mining sector, insisting that Ghanaian mining firms must be given the opportunity to demonstrate their competence.
Speaking on GHToday on GHOne TV on Monday, April 27, Mr. Dzimegah argued that concerns over the ability of local companies to take on expanded roles in the mining industry should not be used to deny them opportunities.
“If you don’t give us the chance, how do we show that we are in the position to handle some of these things?” he stated.
He maintained that many mining companies already rely on local contractors for key operations, suggesting that the directive would not drastically alter existing structures.
“A lot of the mining companies already use local contractors anyway,” he said, referencing several firms currently working within the sector.
Mr. Dzimegah explained that Ghana’s mining laws, including stability agreements under the Minerals and Mining Act, protect investor interests while allowing government to promote local participation through legal frameworks.
According to him, the local content policy is not a sudden intervention but part of an existing legal process that stakeholders have long been aware of.
“This law had been passed for a while. It is not passed just last week or last two weeks,” he noted.
He also rejected arguments that foreign firms are inherently more compliant with legal and regulatory requirements than local companies, describing such claims as problematic.
“For you to be saying that… we should hand over our thing to somebody else… what are you showing the rest of the world?” he questioned.
Mr. Dzimegah further called for stronger support and resourcing for regulatory institutions such as the Minerals Commission to ensure effective compliance and monitoring across the mining sector.
He stressed that empowering local firms is essential to strengthening Ghana’s mining industry and ensuring broader national benefit.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
