'Dangerous drift' – Minority raises alarm over Ibrahim Mahama’s 'influence' on mining sector

The Minority in Parliament is raising alarm over what it calls a growing risk of “state capture” in Ghana’s mining sector, accusing businessman Ibrahim Mahama of exerting undue influence over key institutions.

Addressing the press, Minority Lands and Natural Resources Spokesperson Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong said the country is witnessing a “dangerous drift” in the sector, claiming companies linked to Ibrahim Mahama have gained unfair advantages since President John Mahama returned to office.

He warned that the overlap between private interests and public regulators threatens transparency and accountability, adding that the situation is “unfolding in real time.”

The caucus also pointed to the pending transition of the Damang gold mine from Goldfields Ghana to the state, describing the lack of clarity over its future operator as troubling. According to them, both Parliament and the public have been left “in the dark.”

At the heart of their concerns are alleged appointments of individuals with ties to Ibrahim Mahama across key institutions, including GIADEC, the Minerals Commission, the Ghana Gold Board, and the Minerals Income and Investment Fund.

While each appointment may be justified individually, the Minority argues that, together, they suggest a pattern, warning of a “growing convergence” between public institutions and private interests.

They also questioned the removal of the Ghana Gold Board from the direct oversight of the Lands Ministry, calling it a move that weakens accountability.

The group is now demanding clarity on the Damang mine’s future and a full investigation into what it describes as an “excessive concentration of power” within the mining sector.