Parliament has approved a lithium mining agreement between the Government of Ghana and Barari DV Limited, clearing the way for large-scale commercial extraction of the strategic mineral despite strong opposition from the Minority Caucus.
The deal, tied to the development of the Ewoyaa lithium deposit in the Central Region, is expected to position Ghana as a major player in the global battery minerals market, driven by surging demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
Announcing the terms of the agreement in Parliament on Thursday, March 19, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said the country stands to benefit significantly from a revised fiscal regime that links royalties to international prices.
He explained that under the newly enacted sliding-scale legislation, Ghana will earn higher revenues when market prices are strong.
“In the current dispensation, and given the global market price of lithium, Ghana will get 12 percent royalties due to the sliding scale legislation that has matured into law,” he stated.
However, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin announced that all opposition members present voted against the pact.
“We, the 87 Minority, vote en bloc against this [lithium] agreement to the extent that the Lands Minister did not carry our concerns on board and insist on carrying the report in its current form and shape,” he declared on the floor of the House.
The Minority had previously raised concerns about revenue sharing, environmental safeguards, community benefits and the long-term value of Ghana’s stake in the project.
The approval comes amid a broader national debate on how Ghana should manage newly discovered critical minerals to avoid challenges associated with extractive industries, including limited local value retention and environmental degradation.
The ratification signals Ghana’s entry into the rapidly expanding global market for critical minerals essential to clean energy technologies. Several African countries, including Zimbabwe and Namibia, are also developing lithium industries, intensifying competition to attract investment while maximising national benefits.
With parliamentary approval secured, attention now shifts to final regulatory clearances, project financing and construction timelines.
If successfully implemented, the Ghana–Barari DV lithium venture could mark a transformative moment in the country’s economic landscape.
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