Mahama’s Mineral Agenda Could Help Break Poverty Cycle – Asantehene

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has backed President John Dramani Mahama’s reset agenda, saying the government’s drive to process Ghana’s minerals at home could be a turning point in the country’s fight against poverty.

The endorsement was delivered on his behalf by the Essumejahene, Nana Okyere Kusi Ntrama, at the Mining in Motion conference on Monday, October 19.

Nana Okyere Kusi Ntrama said the policy of moving away from the export of raw minerals to local value addition was key to ensuring that Ghana retains more wealth from its natural resources.

He explained that the reset agenda, introduced by President Mahama after taking office, puts national control over mineral wealth and the building of domestic processing capacity at the heart of Ghana’s economic plans.

According to him, the emphasis on what the country produces from its minerals, rather than simply shipping them out unprocessed, reflects a long-held national desire to use natural resources as a foundation for industrial growth.

He said that over the past year, the direction of the new agenda had become clear: Ghana’s future would be shaped by what it makes out of the minerals in the ground, and by the policies guiding the sector.

Despite the debate surrounding the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), he said there should be no doubt that the President’s approach returns to the vision of the country’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who sought to harness Ghana’s minerals and establish a gold refinery at Tarkwa.

Nana Okyere Kusi Ntrama added that the current mineral policy gives Ghana an opportunity to build on that legacy by strengthening local processing and ensuring the country gains greater economic benefits from its resources.