Religious leaders across the country have hinted at their intention to petition Parliament to halt Ghana’s lithium agreement with Barari DV Ghana Limited.
The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Reverend Paul Boafo and the Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheik Aremeyaw, revealed during a round table discussion at the Institute of Economic Affairs(IEA) in Accra.
“The mineral resources of our country do not belong to us alone, but they belong to the unborn children. Once the mineral resources of our country are kept and entrusted, those who manage it do not own it.
“They are accountable to society, so for them to engage in any contract, there must be a certain engagement where the people are satisfied. We cannot, as a nation, sit down and let this also go down the drain and let people take it away for us to suffer,” Sheik Aremeyaw said.
Reverend Boafo also emphasised the need for a revised agreement prioritising Ghana’s interests.
The mining lease, granted for 15 years to Barari, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium Limited, an Australian company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange, covers an area of 42.63 km² in and around Ewoyaa in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region.
The $250-million project, located in Ewoyaa, Mfantseman Municipality in the Central Region, is set to commence production by 2025.
The deal includes a 10% royalty and 13% free carried interest by the state, surpassing the existing 5% and 10, for other mining agreements, respectively.
Barari DV Ghana Limited is also required to contribute 1% of its revenue to a community development fund to uplift the mining area.
However, the deal has faced stiff criticism from some sections of Ghanaians.
This stems from various agreements over the years that only present the country with meagre royalties.
Our country does not belong to politicians alone.
Thank you, Presiding Bishop Reverend Paul Boafo and Sheik Aremeyaw for your good work.