Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Opoku Ansah, has defended the growing calls against the renewal of Gold Fields’s lease for the Tarkwa Mine, insisting Ghana must rethink how it manages its natural resources to retain more value from its mineral wealth.

His comments follow increasing pressure from the Institute of Economic Affairs for the government to reject any renewal of Gold Fields’ Tarkwa Mine lease when it expires in 2027.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One Newsroom on Wednesday, May 13, the Mpraeso MP said Ghana’s repeated return to the International Monetary Fund over the past four decades shows the country has failed to fully benefit from its vast natural resources.

“We need to appreciate that Ghana, as a country, in the last 40 years, has been to the IMF 17 times. What this tells us is that Ghana is rich in resources but very poor in our value retention,” he stated.

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According to him, Ghana’s continued dependence on IMF support points to deeper structural problems within the economy, particularly in the management of the country’s mineral wealth.

Davis Opoku Ansah further argued that Ghana cannot continue exporting raw gold while mining communities remain underdeveloped and deprived of key infrastructure and social amenities.

Citing Gold Fields’ operations in Ghana, he noted that the mining giant reportedly made about $547 million in profit last year, yet communities such as Tarkwa and Obuasi still face major developmental challenges.

“That is why, for me, it is important to have this conversation. We cannot keep on exporting gold,” he stressed.

The MP also added that the ongoing debate over the renewal of mining leases presents Ghana with an opportunity to secure greater national benefits from its natural resources.

“For me, it is important that these state assets return to Ghana,” he added.

The Institute of Economic Affairs and other stakeholders have maintained that Ghana should prioritise local ownership and stronger national control over strategic mineral assets to improve long-term economic outcomes.

SO/SA

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