The Minority in Parliament has called for the resignation or dismissal of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, over the withdrawal of the lithium mining agreement laid before Parliament.
The revised agreement, which proposed a five percent royalty arrangement with Barari DV Ghana Limited, was withdrawn by the Minister for what he described as further stakeholder consultations, following strong public criticism of the royalty terms.
Addressing journalists, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said the decision had damaged Ghana’s credibility and embarrassed Parliament, accusing the Minister of inconsistency and poor judgment in handling a strategic national resource.
“It is neither reasonable nor acceptable to assure Parliament that consultations have been concluded only to later rely on insufficient consultation as justification for a reversal,” he said.
“It is this inconsistency between what Parliament was told and what has now been conceded that lies at the core of our concern.”
Mr Assafuah stressed that lithium is central to Ghana’s long-term development agenda, noting that “lithium is a strategic mineral with far-reaching implications for Ghana’s industrialisation agenda, energy transition, youth employment prospects, environmental protection, and intergenerational equity.”
According to him, the manner in which the agreement was handled has eroded public trust and weakened the country’s bargaining power.
“The management of such a resource demands clarity, consistency, and foresight. The Minister’s erratic handling of this matter has undermined public confidence, weakened Ghana’s negotiating position, and exposed Parliament to avoidable embarrassment,” he stated.
He argued that accountability must follow the developments surrounding the agreement. “In any functioning democracy, a sector minister who presides over such contradictions and uncertainty on a matter of national importance must take responsibility for his action,” he said.
Mr Assafuah concluded that the Minority believes the Minister should step aside.
“In these circumstances, the minority of the Ninth Parliament is of the firm view that the honourable course of action is for the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to resign or be relieved of his position,” he said, adding that the Minority remains committed to “defending the national interest and ensuring that Ghana’s strategic resources are exploited in a manner that delivers real value to the Ghanaian people.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
