Goldfields Lease Rejection: Honourable Daniel Kwasi Ashiamah Former MP Calls for Reset in Ghana’s Mining Sector
Speaking on Kessben TV’s Maakye show this morning, Honourable Daniel Kwasi Ashiamah, former Member of Parliament for Buem, applauded the move but urged the government to be clear about its intentions for the lease.
The government’s recent decision to deny Gold Fields a lease renewal for its Damang mine continues to stir debate, with calls for greater transparency and a rethink of Ghana’s mining future.
Mr. Ashiamah criticized the current structure of mining agreements in Ghana, describing the percentage benefits given to the state by multinational mining companies like Gold Fields as woefully inadequate. “What do they expect us to feed our children with when Ghana is given just 10%?” he asked.
He also questioned why a country as rich in gold as Ghana still has citizens living in poverty. “Why does Ghana have this quantum of gold when people in Ghana are sleeping in gutters?” he added.
The former MP argued that Ghanaian workers with experience from Gold Fields should be given the chance to run similar mining operations without foreign supervision. “We should stop fighting only for salaries. If the government supports Ghanaians, they can manage these resources themselves,” he said.
He also raised concerns about Gold Fields’ strategy of stockpiling reserves, which he claimed was a tactic to reduce declared profits and limit the government’s share. “This is a trick,” he warned.
Mr. Ashiamah called on the Minerals Commission to develop a long-term plan for the country’s mineral wealth. “We need proper mining laws that will benefit the next 100 million Ghanaians over the next 30 years. That’s how we plan for the future,” he stated.
He further urged the Ghanaian workers at Damang to come together and estimate the cost of building a new mine like Damang, one that could be fully owned and managed by locals.
The conversation adds to growing public interest in how Ghana manages its natural resources and whether the government will make room for greater local ownership and benefits.
By: Adeline Mumuni
