Policy analyst Bright Simons has raised serious concerns about Ghana's lithium agreement with Atlantic Lithium, accusing successive sector ministers of misleading the public about plans to refine lithium locally.

Simons alleged that the lease agreement presented to Parliament, which includes a provision requiring Atlantic Lithium to conduct a scoping study on local lithium refining, had already been completed.

He stated that the study, conducted as far back as 2024, concluded that refining lithium in Ghana was not commercially viable.

In a post shared on his X page on December 20, 2025, as sighted by GhanaWeb Business, Simons urged Ghanaians to commend what he described as a "bold and patriotic citizen" for sounding the alarm over the handling of Ghana's mineral resources.

Lands minister holds talks with CSOs to polish Ghana’s lithium agreement

“It turns out that our Mining Ministers have all been playing us. They have made it look like Atlantic Lithium is open to the possibility of refining lithium in Ghana. They have even pretended to include a requirement in the lease agreement that Atlantic Lithium will conduct a 'scoping study' to advance the local refining agenda. It is being suggested that it is all SHĀKARA! That we are being played! Since 2024!” he posted.

He further alleged that government officials have deliberately created the impression that Atlantic Lithium is willing to refine lithium in Ghana, when evidence suggests otherwise.

Simons claimed that Atlantic Lithium had already communicated its conclusion to the government, basing its assessment on what he described as an underestimation of the available lithium resource.

“We are asking the Mines Minister publicly to confirm or deny. We are doing it publicly because, despite all efforts by IMANI to engage policymakers to build a fiscal model together so that negotiations can be based on real and rigorous data, the Minister flatly refuses to engage in good faith,” he added.

The policy analyst called for the sector minister [Emmanuel Armah-Kofi-Buah] to clarify the negotiations surrounding Ghana’s lithium deal.

Read the full post below:

1. My Ghana People, join me in thanking a very bold & patriotic citizen for blowing a serious alarm.

2. It turns out that our Mining Ministers have all been playing us.

3. They have made it look like Atlantic Lithium is open to the possibility of refining lithium in Ghana.

4.… pic.twitter.com/mf9NfpIVft

— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) December 20, 2025