The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced the official leasing of the Damang Mines to Engineers and Planners (E&P), an indigenous mining firm, following what he described as a rigorous and transparent tender process.
The agreement, which is currently pending parliamentary ratification, marks a significant step in government’s efforts to deepen local participation in Ghana’s extractive sector.
In a statement published on his official platform, the Minister noted that E&P emerged as the successful bidder based on its demonstrated expertise, technical capacity, and proven track record in the mining industry.
“This development is firmly in line with the government’s mining local content policy,” Mr Buah stated, emphasising the administration’s commitment to empowering Ghanaian-owned enterprises.
He explained that the decision forms part of a broader strategy to create an enabling environment for local firms to take up leading roles in the country’s natural resource sector.
“It is our stated intention to create an enabling environment that empowers Ghanaians to assume the commanding heights of our extractive industry,” he said.
The Minister further underscored the ideological foundation of the move, invoking the words of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, on the importance of national control over natural resources.
“It is only when we ourselves are in control of our own resources that we can ensure that they are used for the benefit of our people and not for the enrichment of foreign investors,” the statement quoted.
Mr Buah reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensuring that Ghana’s mineral wealth translates into sustainable development, economic empowerment, and long-term prosperity for citizens.
The leasing of the Damang Mines to a wholly Ghanaian-owned company is expected to strengthen local capacity in the mining sector while advancing government’s agenda of increasing indigenous participation in key economic industries.
