Mahama vows stricter lease terms to boost local mining benefits

President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that his administration will adopt a firmer approach to natural resource lease renewals in order to increase Ghanaian participation and direct more benefits to communities affected by mining.

He made these remarks in Accra on April 24, 2025, during the opening of a four-day Executive Leadership Programme for Ministerial Appointees at Ada.

Mr Mahama clarified that the government does not intend to seize existing concessions. Rather, it will seek improved terms for local interests whenever leases are due for renewal.

“We’re not going to expropriate anybody’s concession or anything,” he said. “But anytime a lease comes up for renewal, we would want to negotiate to see that there’s more Ghanaian participation.”

He expressed concern about the poor living conditions in many communities located near mining sites, saying it was unacceptable that decades of extraction had not translated into meaningful development for local residents.

“You go to the mining areas and look at the communities around the mining centres still steeped in poverty,” he said.

“The government has to replace schools under trees, build CHPS compounds, repair the roads and all that. And we can only do that if we can get the resources from the natural resource endowment that God has given us.”

Mr Mahama said his government would put in place a clear policy to support greater local involvement in resource exploitation. He added that, where appropriate, the government would push for a review of existing terms.

“We would codify it. And as and when the opportunity comes, we’ll renegotiate some of these things so that Ghanaians can also participate in the blessing that God gave us,” he stated.

Source: Graphic Online