The Parliament of Ghana, on Thursday, March 19, 2026, approved the agreement that paves the way for large-scale mining of lithium in the country.

During Thursday’s sitting, the House adopted the report of the Committee on Lands and Natural Resources on the Mining Lease Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and Barari DV Ghana Limited.

The said agreement is for the mining of lithium and other minerals at Mankessim (42.63 km²) in the Mfantsiman Municipality of the Central Region. The deal, which offers Barari DV a mining lease for 15 years, is expected to position Ghana as a key player in the global lithium market.

Some of the key details of the agreement include a 12 per cent free carried interest in the company, higher than the standard 10 per cent applicable to other mining firms in the country, and a requirement for the company to allocate one per cent of its annual revenue to a community development fund to support communities affected by its operations.

Before the ratification of the agreement, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, touted the benefits of the agreement to the people of Ghana and the mining community in particular.

According to the minister, the mining project holds huge potential to bring tremendous benefits to the country and contribute to the socio-economic development of communities in the leased area.

“We wanted to be sure that under this mining, lithium will not come to add to the destruction of roads, and we have inserted that within six months of ratification of the lease agreement, the company will undertake a feasibility study for the construction of a jetty, barge and a mini-port system at Saltpond or an adjacent suitable location.

“We think that for the people of Ewoyaa and other communities who have waited for almost three years, this is an important day for them because a lot will happen in these communities when this project takes off,” he said.

The Minority Caucus, which opposed the adoption of the Committee’s report, said that the deal in its current form was problematic and not in the best interest of Ghanaians.

Government suspends ratification of lithium deal for further consultations

BAI

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