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Any attempt to mine lithium in Ghana will be illegal – Minority warns Barari DV Ghana Ltd

Headlines Any attempt to mine lithium in Ghana will be illegal – Minority warns Barari DV Ghana Ltd
THU, 07 DEC 2023

The Minority in Parliament has said Barari DV Ghana Ltd will be engaging in illegality if it goes ahead to mine lithium in the country.

Barari DV Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Australian-based Atlantic Lithium Limited, was granted a 15-year mining lease in October 2023 for the exploitation of lithium in the Ewoyaa area of the Central Region.

The project, with a life of twelve years, is expected to produce approximately 350,000 tonnes of concentrate at 5.5-6% lithium oxide.

Engaging journalists in Parliament on Thursday, December 7, John Jinapor said Article 268 of the 1992 Constitution is explicit and it states that any transaction, including but not limited to the application for a license to exploit natural resources, requires prior parliamentary approval.

He said that based on this, the agreement between the government of Ghana and Barari DV should be laid before Parliament without delay.

“We demand that the Akufo-Addo government tables or lays this agreement before Parliament without delay,” the Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee told journalists.

He further issued a warning to Barari DV Ghana Ltd stating that the company would be engaging in an illegality if it went ahead with the mining of lithium in the country when the agreement has not been tabled before parliament.

“Let me caution Barari that any attempt to commence mining without parliamentary approval will be illegal. A future NDC government, upon assumption of office on January 7, 2025, all mining licenses that have not met the necessary parliamentary approval, we will do the proper thing and ensure that they cease until they seek the right approval from Parliament,” John Jinapor emphasised.

Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo
Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo

JournalistPage: EricNanaYawKwafo

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Started: 04-10-2024 | Ends: 31-12-2024

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