Special topics
A MEMBER of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has cautioned the government not to hesitate to export the newly found lithium in the Volta Region which is among the top 10 most expensive minerals in the world.
According to Mr Kwame Jantuah, Vice Chairman of PIAC, any company that wants to come and mine in the country should at least open a small processing plant in the Volta Region to create jobs and build capacity for the residents.
Mr Jantuah added that there has to be comprehensive planning put in place to enable the community benefit the most, before extending to other people.
He added that when the country finds minerals or any new commodity it should benefit the ordinary people by adding value to their lives.
He said “look at our cocoa, would we say it benefits the people? If we were to add value to our cocoa farms would that not benefit the farmers more and build capacity in the farmers to understand what it means to them? We haven’t done so and we have been exporting cocoa whole.”
He advised that with the discovery of lithium, the government and leaders should not handle it the way the country handled gold and diamonds.
He said “if it has to stay in the ground till we develop the capacity of the people in the area so be it. That way the people can get jobs out of it which will be the best.”
