Bawumia promises 100% Ghanaian ownership of natural resources

The Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pledged to ensure that Ghanaians own 100 percent of the country's mineral resources if elected as President of the Republic.

Dr. Bawumia stated that his administration would focus on a paradigm shift in the country's natural resource management and ownership through a policy framework to ensure that Ghanaians maximize benefits from their mineral endowment.

The NPP Flagbearer gave this assurance during a breakfast meeting with religious leaders in the Eastern Region on Monday, as part of his nationwide campaign tour.

"I am going to refocus our paradigm for natural resource management. For the most part, Ghana has not maximized the benefits of our natural resources.

"Since the days of the Portuguese in the 15th century, gold has always been taken out of Ghana. We haven’t benefited much from our natural resources; I am going to change that paradigm. I am going to bring a bigger focus on the ownership of our natural resources.

"It is as if right now we don’t own our natural resources. I believe that if we do the exploration, and we are going to empower our universities and the Geological Service Department to do the exploration, once we discover that we have seven gold belts that we haven’t yet discovered," he stated.

"Once we have explored and we know that the gold is here, the new policy is going to be that the ownership of those resources will be one hundred percent owned by Ghanaians," Dr. Bawumia assured.

Dr. Bawumia’s nationwide campaign will take him to all 275 constituencies across the 16 regions until the first week of June.

'Bold Solutions for Our Future' is the theme of his campaign, focusing on three key pillars: The Battle of Ideas and Character, The Battle of Records, and The Battle of an Effective Campaign.

The NPP Flagbearer and his campaign team will focus on an issue-based campaign, tackling cogent, practical, and tailor-made ideas to address issues that are dear to the Ghanaian people.

He will meet with a wide range of stakeholders, including traditional rulers, the clergy, youth groups, traders, drivers, farmers, and students, and interact with businesses and associations.

He will visit market centres and other public places to listen to the concerns of both traders and consumers.

Dr. Bawumia will also engage the media, hold town hall meetings, and continue with his regular stakeholder engagements with Ghanaians.

Since he was elected the NPP Flagbearer on November 4, 2023, for the December 7 elections, Dr. Bawumia has been very active in undertaking broad consultations and interactions with various groups across the country.