Lithium deal reversal sparks calls for Lands Minister’s resignation
The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, accusing him of mishandling the controversial Barari DV lithium agreement.
Speaking on behalf of the Minority, Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said the Minister misled Parliament by strongly defending the agreement and presenting it as being in Ghana’s best interest.
According to him, the deal was later withdrawn on the grounds of “inadequate consultations,” contradicting the Minister’s earlier assurances.
Assafuah argued that accountability must follow such developments, stressing that ministers are personally responsible for ensuring that the information they provide to Parliament is accurate, complete, and reliable.
He said the decision to first defend the agreement before Parliament and later withdraw it has undermined public trust, weakened Ghana’s negotiating position, and caused unnecessary embarrassment to Parliament.
“The integrity of parliamentary oversight depends on this, while consultation and stakeholder engagement are important, they must be done before an agreement is presented to Parliament, not after it has been withdrawn due to public pressure,” Assafuah said.
Lithium, which is considered a strategic mineral, is central to Ghana’s industrialisation agenda, energy transition efforts, youth employment prospects, and environmental sustainability goals.
The Minority maintains that managing such a critical resource requires consistency, transparency, and foresight, qualities they say were absent in the Minister’s handling of the Barari DV agreement.
Assafuah warned that in a functioning and accountable democracy, a minister who presides over such contradictions on matters of national importance must accept responsibility.
“In these circumstances, the Minority in the 9th Parliament believes the honourable course of action is for the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to resign,” he said.
The Minority’s call comes amid increasing scrutiny from civil society organisations and opposition lawmakers over the lithium agreement, which was presented for parliamentary ratification earlier this month.
They argue that the reversal of the deal exposes serious governance weaknesses and underscores the need for stronger oversight and accountability in the management of Ghana’s strategic mineral resources.