The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has confirmed the approval of a competitive tender outcome for the Damang Mining Lease, following recommendations by the Minerals Commission’s Tender Committee.
In a press release dated April 7, 2026, the Ministry disclosed that it had received the Committee’s report in line with the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (LI 2176). Based on the evaluation, Engineers and Planners Ltd (E&P) emerged as the successful bidder.
The Ministry stated that the recommendation has been approved, with directives issued to the Minerals Commission to take the necessary regulatory steps to implement the decision.
According to the report, E&P met all mandatory requirements outlined in the tender notice, including providing evidence of access to financing above the minimum threshold of 500 million US dollars. The company was also found to possess the technical expertise and operational experience required for the Damang mine, alongside proposals aimed at extending the mine’s lifespan beyond ten years.
The Tender Committee further indicated that E&P achieved the highest score based on the evaluation criteria, demonstrating the strongest capacity to manage the operations effectively.
A total of four companies submitted bids before the March 31, 2026 deadline. These included Vortex Resources Mining Group, Engineers and Planners Ltd, Heath Goldfields Ltd, and Maripoma Mining Services Ltd.
The four tenders were then examined in accordance with the mandatory requirements set out in Phase 1, Annexure C of the Notice, which states that if any tenderer fails to comply with any of the mandatory requirements, it “shall result in the tender being disqualified and not to be considered for further evaluation.”
The mandatory requirements are:
- Proof of wholly owned Ghanaian registered company with registration documents indicating current directors, shareholdings and beneficial ownership
- Valid tax clearance certificate
- Valid SSNIT clearance certificate
- Valid VAT clearance certificate
- Valid certificate of incorporation
- Payment of the application fee of GHS100,000.00
Following verification, only Engineers and Planners Ltd and Heath Goldfields Ltd met the mandatory requirements; Maripoma Mining Services Ltd and Vortex Resources Mining Group were disqualified as non-responsive for failing to submit the required documents.
Accordingly, pursuant to Regulation 260(7) of LI 2176, the two (2) responsive tenders were submitted to the Tender Committee for technical and financial evaluation. Following the technical assessment, Heath Goldfields Ltd failed to achieve the minimum qualifying score of 80%, and its financial proposal was therefore not evaluated, in line with the Notice.
The Minerals Commission has also accordingly directed to take all the necessary regulatory steps to give effect to this approval.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has commended the Commission, particularly the members of the Tender Committee, for their dedication to this critical national assignment, and reiterates Government’s commitment to the Damang Mine’s continued contribution to Ghana’s economy.
The Ministry further reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparency and due process in the award of mining leases, while supporting continued investment and sustainability in Ghana’s mining sector.
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