The renegotiated lithium agreement between the government and Barari DV Ghana Limited, which was presented to Parliament last month by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Emmanuel Amarh-Kofi Buah, has been withdrawn. The agreement, which had a royalty rate of five per cent, received heavy criticism from stakeholders, including civil society organisations, following its presentation to the House. According to critics, the previous agreement, which had a 10 per cent royalty rate, was a better deal than the renegotiated version.
Addressing Parliament yesterday, on behalf of Mr. Buah, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, explained that the withdrawal of the lithium agreement was to allow for broader consultations with key stakeholders. “Mr. Speaker, the lithium agreement was laid before this House on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, and was referred to the Committee on Lands and Natural Resources for consideration and report to the House. The reason for the withdrawal of this agreement is to enable the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to undertake further consultations with relevant stakeholders prior to representing it to this important House,” Alhaji Sulemana said.
For his part, the Majority Leader, Mr. Mahama Ayariga, said the reduction of the royalty rate from 10 per cent to five per cent was due to the decline in world prices for lithium. According to him, the decrease in lithium prices had become a disincentive for investors, making it necessary to lower the royalty rate to encourage investment in the country’s lithium mining sector.
Mr. Ayariga also hinted that the government plans to present a proposal to Parliament for a general review of royalties on the country’s natural resources. He noted that despite rising gold prices on the world market, Ghana continues to receive low royalty rates for its mineral resources, highlighting the need for a broader and fairer review.
BY BENJAMIN
ARCTON-TETTEY
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