Ratify lithium agreement – Ewoyaa chief urges Gov’t

Ewoyaa, Central Region – July 1, 2025 — Nana Mbronu Edu IX, Chief of Ewoyaa, has called on President John Dramani Mahama and Parliament to urgently ratify the exploration agreement with Atlantic Lithium Company, stressing that further delay threatens the future of the Ewoyaa Lithium Project and the survival of his community.

In an interview at a community forum on lithium, Nana Edu warned that the prolonged parliamentary delay in ratifying the 15-year mining lease, granted in October 2023, has plunged Ewoyaa and surrounding areas into deepening economic and social hardship. The company has already slowed exploration and construction, citing legal uncertainty.

“We have endured this predicament long enough. The land that sustains us lies fallow, our youth are without employment, and hope is dwindling,” he said. “We implore the government and Parliament to act expeditiously, for the future of Ewoyaa hinges on the advancement of this project without further delay.”

The lease ratification delay, driven by calls for wider consultation to avoid historical missteps in mining approvals, has had ripple effects on the local economy. Job losses have mounted, youth trained in mining are idle, and hundreds of smallholder farmers are unable to return to their lands. The resulting distress, the chief warned, risks social unrest.

The forum, organised by the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) under the IREEWAM project with support from the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), focused on lithium mining’s impact on women and community development. Its theme was: “The Ewoyaa Lithium Mining Project: Community Development Priorities and Opportunities for Women’s Participation and Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihoods.”

At the forum, the Chief emphasised that the community must receive a fair share of the mineral wealth and urged the government to invest proceeds in commercial agriculture, agro-industrialisation, and essential infrastructure like schools, hospitals, roads, markets, and community centres.

“We must not be left behind while our land is exploited,” he said, stressing that local youth need skills and opportunities in a sector largely dominated by foreign interests.

Queen Mother of Ewoyaa, Nana Esi Edisiwaah, appealed for a modern market at the proposed resettlement site to empower women traders. She said such a facility would improve safety, sanitation, and business opportunities for women who are central to the local economy.

Community members shared troubling accounts of hardship. Madam Ama Mary urged urgent support for women farmers who have been barred from their lands due to exploration activities. Madam Vida Arthur warned that frustrated youth were migrating to illegal mining zones, risking their lives.

Others, like Madam Maame Ama, pleaded for a school bus to Saltpond, as land-use disruptions had hindered children’s access to education. Mr. Kobina Benning called for agro-processing factories, employment schemes, and skills training to stem youth migration and economic stagnation.

Concerns also emerged around displacement, inadequate compensation, lost farmlands, environmental damage, and unclear resettlement plans. Residents demanded fair compensation and alternative livelihoods, insisting the lithium project must benefit them, not exploit them.

NORPRA Executive Director, Mr. Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, reminded stakeholders that Ghana’s mining laws require sustainable development, social amenities, and fair economic participation for host communities. He cited the Minerals Development Fund Act and the need for communities to receive their due share of mineral wealth.

He warned that many residents, especially women, remain unaware of their legal rights, including Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and sustainable livelihood protections. This, he said, has contributed to persistent poverty in mineral-rich areas, with the most vulnerable often left behind.