Member of Parliament for the Ho West Constituency, Emmanuel Bedzra, has vehemently opposed any mining activities in his constituency.
He has expressed solidarity with the chiefs and people of Abutia, who have raised concerns about the proposed mining of the 32,000-hectare Kalakpa Game Reserve for lithium.
The government is reportedly considering granting the forest to a private company for prospecting, prompting strong objections from local stakeholders.
In an interview with Citi News, MP Bedzra highlighted the lack of consultation with the land’s custodians and emphasized that mining has contributed minimally to Ghana’s economy. He has submitted a question in Parliament to seek clarification from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources on this matter.
Furthermore, he stated that if he were to become president, he would ban mining entirely.
He emphasized that mining has contributed minimally to Ghana’s economy and stated that if he were to become president, he would ban it outright.
“I am against mining and if I become president, I will ban mining completely because it doesn’t add anything. It doesn’t add anything to our GDP because there are countries without natural resources and they are making it.
“We have everything in Ghana. We have cocoa, gold, we have bauxite, and even oil and what have we achieved with them? Despite that, we are holding a cup begging the IMF for money.
“If we can feed ourselves through our land and vegetation, I don’t think we need anybody to support us or need anybody to come and destroy our vegetation.”