Special topics
The senior political science lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG)-Legon, Prof Ransford Gyampo has called on Ghanaians not to sit for the nation to be robbed of the lithium in the country.
This comes on the back of the government granting Barari DV Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium Limited, a fifteen (15) year Mining Lease to start the construction and mining of lithium at Ewoyaa in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region.
However, there have been red flags raised on the agreement between the Government of Ghana and the foreign company.
The Institute of Energy Security (IES) has said the Government of Ghana was unable to compare the just signed Lithium Mining Agreement with what is pertained outside.
Speaking on State Affairs on GHOne TV with Francis Abban recently the Executive Director for Institute of Energy Security, Nana Amoasi VII stated that the agreement is not great news to the Civil Society Organization because of the lack of involvement of key stakeholders in the sector.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource has indicated that the lease has more enhanced terms intended to ensure that Ghana benefits from the mineral.
“The Lease we are signing today differs from our standard Mining Lease, in that, it incorporates the agreed terms we have concluded with the company, based on the Policy approved by Cabinet,” the Minister for Lands and Natural Resource, Samuel Abu Jinapor stated.
In a series of posts on Facebook, Prof Gyampo disagrees with the mining agreement which he said Ghana has 13% and the foreign company bagging a whopping 87%.
“You can hide behind the colonial legal regime to aid foreigners to rob Ghanaians off their natural resources. But this won’t happen on Mfantseman soil. Let your foreigners go mine in the sea, they will get fish.
Can a Ghanaian investor go to Australia to mine Lithium and take 87% and give the Australian government 13%? Investors can’t be sensible than us. We sat in the same classroom with some of them and beat them in exams!” Prof. Gyampo stated.
Below are some of his Facebook posts
Thank you Omanhene of Nkusukum, thank you Omanhene of Dominase, thank you Omanhene of Mankessim and thank you Omanhene of Ekumfi. It’s been insightful consulting with you this morning on the Lithium robbery.
Dear Minerals Commission,
You can hide behind the colonial legal regime to aid foreigners to rob Ghanaians off their natural resources. But this won’t happen on Mfantseman soil. Let your foreigners go mine in the sea, they will get fish.
Can a Ghanaian investor go to Australia to mine Lithium and take 87% and give the Australian government 13%?
Investors can’t be sensible than us. We sat in the same classroom with some of them and beat them in exams!
I just had a discussion with two key chiefs in Mfantseman. I have sensitized them. But why are these foreigners “cornering” the chiefs? There are many educated elites in Mfantseman. Why are they not being spoken to?
But why will a government agency facilitate a Lithium deal that would only be pretty good, but won’t be in the best interest of the country? Is it ignorance, wickedness, or connivance with robbery for secret personal gain.
Dear HONORABLE MPs, please don’t be lobbied and be bribed to mortgage the national interest in this Lithium deal. It is robbery and we are watching how you would live by your titles as HONORABLE people in acting in the national interest.
Dear President Akufo Addo, you have a good opportunity to amend the colonial legal regime that has been used to rob us off our natural resources. They have bribed a few people and taken our gold and oil virtually for free. Lithium too? No way!
Parliament must play its role as a countervailing authority to stop the childish attempt at robbing us off our Lithium. For once, let there be a show down of genuine nationalism and patriotism possibly by the entire House.
The Minerals Commission’s arrogance and dismissiveness about the attempt to rob Ghanaians off their Lithium, won’t douse our resolve to resist their unpatriotic connivance with foreign thieves. Nnwifo!
Arise Mfantseman! Arise Ghana! We have given our gold and oil to foreigners virtually for free and are going round begging IMF for coins. We want to do same to our Lithium? Not all Ghanaians are dumb.
We will resist this with our blood.We won’t allow anyone to go take bribe for our Lithium to go to foreigners for pittance. “If the Owners of Natural Resources Go Around Begging, Then You Should Know There’s Something Wrong with Their Minds.”- Paul Kagame
Source: https://www.operanewsapp.com/gh/en
