Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama recused himself from the Cabinet meeting that considered government’s decision to transfer operational control of the Damang Mine to indigenous mining firm Engineers & Planners Limited (E&P).

The move follows the expiration of the mining lease previously held by Abosso Goldfields Limited, a subsidiary of Gold Fields.

On April 18, 2026, the Government of Ghana officially transferred operational control of the Damang Mine to Engineers & Planners, a Ghanaian-owned firm founded by businessman and brother to the president Ibrahim Mahama.

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According to Kwakye Ofosu, the President stepped aside during Cabinet deliberations to ensure transparency and avoid any perception of a conflict of interest.

“President Mahama recused himself from the Cabinet meeting that considered E&P’s Damang Mine takeover,” he is quoted to have said on May 14, 2026 by myjoyonline.com.

The government maintains that the transfer forms part of broader efforts to deepen local ownership of strategic mineral assets and increase Ghanaian participation in large-scale mining operations.

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Kwakye Ofosu added that the President’s decision reflects the administration’s commitment to accountability, allowing Cabinet to deliberate independently on matters where his impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

MA