The Member of Parliament for Wa Central, Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, has endorsed calls for due diligence supported by legislation to regulate Ghana’s lithium deal with Barari DV Ghana Ltd, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium Limited.
In an interview with Selorm Adonoo on The Big Issue on Citi TV, the NDC MP criticized the government’s defense of the deal as the best in the mining history of the country and called for urgent legislation to ensure value for money.
The government stated it would receive 13 percent in royalties with a 30 percent stake in Atlantic Lithium, compared to other mineral agreements, which it deemed laudable and welcomed by all Ghanaians as innovative.
Many, including the NDC, have called on the government to review the country’s mining laws and policies, especially regarding green minerals, which the government acknowledges will take time.
The government, along with some legal practitioners, argues that the processes to put together and pass legislation are lengthy and require meticulousness.
However, the Wa Central legislator insists it is possible to pass a law to regulate mining, especially the country’s green minerals.
“The summary of what the NDC is saying is that we should look forward to this deal, and we can pass a law within a week, and it is not as difficult as everyone is making it look. We need to support the lithium agreement with a law, and there needs to be a legal framework within which we can operate.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 13, the NDC also emphasized the urgent need to review the country’s existing mining laws and policies, particularly regarding green minerals. The NDC expressed the view that the exploitation of the country’s green minerals should not be governed solely by existing mining laws tailored predominantly for gold mining, which have not adequately benefited the nation over the years.
