Suspend the Lithium lease agreement - Dormaahene to government

Dormaahene Osagyefo Osaedeeyo Agyemang Badu II has made a compelling appeal to the government, urging the suspension of Ghana's first lithium mining agreement.

The traditional ruler voiced concerns over the current terms of the agreement, emphasizing that they do not favor the country's interests.

Speaking at the Bono Regional House of Chiefs' 2023 end-of-year review meeting, the Dormaahene aligned himself with various calls from civil society groups, experts, and the public, demanding further clarity or a halt to the contract terms with Barari DV Limited, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium, an Australian mining firm.

In his address in a video posted by JoyNews, the Dormaahene stressed the need for a careful reconsideration of the mining contract's terms to ensure that citizens receive a fair and equitable share of the deal.

He emphasized the potential risk of losing control over valuable resources.

"Government has to suspend the contract and re-look at the terms because the mining company [Atlantic] has been given the license to mine not just lithium but any other resources it discovers within the concession area."

"We are not kicking against any mining of natural resources, but we must ensure that the gains are shared equally, and so government authorities must carefully re-look at the terms of the deal to bring peace among all stakeholders," he added.

The government of Ghana had signed the deal with Barari DV Ghana Limited, a move aimed at tapping into the vast lithium deposits in Ewoyaa, Central Region but have faced backlash due to the nature of the agreement.

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NAY/MA