Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA), Simon Madjie, has called on more Ghanaian businesses to move beyond mining contracts and take ownership of major mining operations in the country.

He said local companies had gained sufficient experience in the mining industry to compete with international firms and should be given greater opportunities to own and operate mines.

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Speaking in an interview with JoyNews on Thursday, October 8, 2026, Madjie cited Engineers and Planners (E&P) as an example of a Ghanaian company that had built its capacity through years of work in the mining sector.

“There are some local mining companies and contractors that have demonstrated that they have what it takes to equally compete with the multinationals operating in this space,” he said.

He added that E&P’s experience showed how local contractors could grow into major mining companies after years of working with multinational firms and developing expertise across the industry.

“The mining model of E&P should be seen as the model for building mining giants in Ghana,” Madjie said.

According to him, local companies that previously worked as contractors for mining firms had developed the skills and capacity needed to take on bigger roles, including owning and managing mines.

“They were the contractors for most of the companies over the years and actually played in the value chain, and now they have the capacity to own and run these mines,” he said.

Madjie said the government was committed to helping Ghanaian businesses grow and compete internationally, particularly in strategic sectors such as mining.

“Ghanaians should be rest assured that the government is interested in the business of every Ghanaian; our objective is to help them to grow and compete on the international stage,” he said.

He stressed that efforts to increase local ownership should not be interpreted as a move against foreign investors. Rather, the goal was to strengthen Ghanaian businesses and enable them to compete alongside international companies.

ANAS/MA

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