Osagyefo Amanfo Edu VI, Paramount Chief of the Mankessim Traditional Area in the Central Region, has denied claims that traditional leaders are opposing the government’s decision to peg Ghana’s lithium royalty at 5 percent.

He stressed that the position of chiefs in the area is fully aligned with national law and accused officials of Friends of the Nation (FoN) of spreading misinformation.

Speaking at a meeting of the Mankessim Traditional Council last week, the chief explained that the earlier proposal of a 10 percent royalty risked stalling the lithium project, prompting government to revert to the legally established 5 percent rate.

“It is very true that if they take the 10 percent royalty, the project may not come to fruition. So the government has agreed for it to be pegged at the rate in the law. That is the right thing,” he said.

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Osagyefo Amanfo Edu VI questioned why Atlantic Lithium was initially assigned a 10 percent rate when all other mining companies in Ghana pay 5 percent.

According to him, the recent decision to restore the uniform rate is consistent with the law and ensures fairness across the mining sector.

“The present government’s stance is that the company should pay the stipulated 5 percent. Others are saying the law should be amended to accommodate any increase. But whatever percentage they want to increase it to must apply to all mining firms,” he added.

“The boss of Friends of the Nation is the mastermind behind the new narrative that we traditional leaders have kicked against the 5 percent rate. Their boss dictated what Charles Paa Grant said in an interview,” he alleged.

He further emphasized that Paa Grant has no authority to speak for traditional leadership on such matters.

“Charles Paa Grant is not a royal. He doesn’t have any authority to meet Friends of the Nation and say that we reject the 5 percent royalty. He cannot speak for the chiefs,” he stressed.

Osagyefo Amanfo Edu VI reaffirmed the commitment of traditional leaders to ensuring that their communities benefit from the lithium project, but insisted that such advocacy must be grounded in law, truth, and proper representation.

SA

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