ACEP Urges Government to Revisit Mining Agreement Negotiations

ACEP Urges Government to Revisit Mining Agreement Negotiations

The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) is cautioning the government to revisit negotiations regarding the renewal of mining agreements, emphasizing that the laws governing gold extraction in Ghana are clear.

According to Benjamin Boakye, Executive Director of ACEP, the mining agreement stipulates that when a mine is due for renewal, the government should renew the risk unless there are fundamental breaches or environmental disasters that the company is not responding to.

Key Concerns
Misinterpretation of Laws: ACEP argues that the Minister is abusing certain reasons, such as reserve estimation, to justify expropriating the assets of mining companies, which are not grounds for non-renewal under the law.

National Interest: Boakye emphasizes the need to prioritize national interest over other interests and ensure that the right procedures are followed to send a positive signal to investors.
Transparency and Accountability: ACEP is urging the government to act responsibly and not endanger the collective interest of the people.

Call to Action
The organization is advocating for a return to the negotiation table to recalibrate assumptions around national interest and ensure that the laws are not misinterpreted to justify a predetermined agenda. With time running out before a set exploration happens, ACEP believes it’s crucial to act now and prioritize the country’s interests.

Story by Fada Amakye from Daily Sun news paper