Dormaahene Osagyefo Osaedeeyo Agyemang Badu II has made a compelling plea to the government, urging the suspension of Ghana’s inaugural lithium mining agreement.
The traditional leader voiced concerns about the existing terms of the agreement, emphasizing their lack of alignment with the nation’s best interests.
Speaking at the Bono Regional House of Chiefs’ year-end review meeting in 2023, Dormaahene aligned himself with various calls from civil society groups, experts, and the public, urging further clarity or a halt to the contractual terms with Barari DV Limited, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium—an Australian mining company.
In a video posted by JoyNews, Dormaahene stressed the importance of a careful reconsideration of the mining contract’s terms to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of benefits to citizens.
He underscored the potential risk of losing control over valuable resources.
“Government has to suspend the contract and re-look at the terms because the mining company [Atlantic] has been given the license to mine not just lithium but any other resources it discovers within the concession area.”
“We are not kicking against any mining of natural resources, but we must ensure that the gains are shared equally, and so government authorities must carefully re-look at the terms of the deal to bring peace among all stakeholders,” he added.
The Ghanaian government had previously signed the deal with Barari DV Ghana Limited to tap into extensive lithium deposits in Ewoyaa, Central Region.
However, the agreement faced public backlash due to concerns about its nature and potential implications.