Gov’t Sends Damang Mine Deal, Other Mining Agreements to Parliament - Lands Minister disclosed

Government will table the Damang Mine agreement and several other outstanding mining deals before Parliament for ratification as it moves to regularize key transactions in the sector.

Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah made the disclosure to journalists on the sidelines of the Ghana Chamber of Mines Breakfast Meeting.

The Damang Mine, formerly run by Gold Fields Ghana Limited, was recently transferred to Engineers and Planners after the Ghanaian firm won the concession bid.

Buah said the Ministry has already notified Parliament’s leadership about the pending submissions. “We have already engaged the leadership of Parliament and given them a list of ratification that we intend to send to Parliament,” he stated.

The Minister explained that government moved to prevent disruptions at the mine because thousands of jobs and local economies depend on its operations.

“We couldn’t let the mine not operate with thousands of jobs at stake and with communities whose economy depends on this mine,” he said.

He added that the Minerals Commission has the authority to keep mining activities running while Parliament reviews the agreements.

“So it is a practice in the industry that even as we work on those ratification, by the power vested in the authority of the Minerals Commission, we can ensure that the benefits of the people of Ghana is not stopped,” Buah noted.