Discovered lithium sent from heaven to redeem Ghana from shackles of postcolonial mining framework - Toni Aubynn

Since the government of Ghana signed a 15-year lease agreement with lithium mining company, Barari DV Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium Limited, to commence the construction and mining of lithium at Ewoyaa in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region, it has been met with several criticisms.

The latest to join in the conversation is the former Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission, Toni Aubynn, who holds the view that government made a wrong move with this particular deal.

He averred that the lithium discovered in Ghana was a chance for the government to review what he termed as the postcolonial mining laws to a more flexible framework where the country would benefit adequately from this mineral resource.

While pouring his heart out in a LinkedIn post and sighted by GhanaWeb Business, Toni Aubynn said the discovery of lithium in Ghana was an opportunity for the country to enrich itself and put the local economy on track from its wobbling state.

The mining consultant said, "In the recent case of Ghana, apart from the opaqueness with which this new mineral deal has been negotiated, the current marginal increase in the existing rates of benefit sharing for Lithium is nothing more than cosmetic and tokenistic. Lithium and the family of critical minerals are now so important (important than the hydrocarbons and gold) that it was an opportunity sent from heaven for Ghana to redeemed itself from the shackles of existing postcolonial mining framework to one that is responsive to current global and local situations.

"In short, given the criticality and present global demands for Lithium and other critical minerals, our present agreement is a lost opportunity to exact optimal benefit for Ghana, simpliciter."

Ghana signed a 15-year lease agreement with lithium mining company Barari DV Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium Limited, to commence the construction and mining of lithium at Ewoyaa in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region.

The deal includes a 10% royalty and 13% free carried interest by the state, surpassing the existing 5% and 10%, respectively, for other mining agreements.

The lands minister noted that by the end of the finalization of the lithium mining deal, Ghana will have a participation rate of 30% while Barari DV Ghana Limited will get 70%.

According to him, this is the first time in the country’s history that it has been able to negotiate 10% royalties in a minerals deal.

Read the former Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission post below;

SA/AE



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