The Minerals Commission is reevaluating existing mining agreements to ensure Ghana reaps more benefits from its natural resources.
According to Andrews Tandoh, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, the move is a deliberate strategy to prioritize Ghana’s interests.
“We are pushing for indigenisation,” Tandoh clarified in a recent interview. “There hasn’t been a policy for nationalisation. We are not Burkina Faso. We are not Mali” Andrews Tandoh told Joy News.
The government’s decision has sparked public debate, with some interpreting it as a move towards nationalisation. However, Tandoh insists that Ghana is committed to foreign investment, but wants fairer deals.
“We support foreign investment. But some of these agreements cannot be in perpetuity. It cannot be forever,” he said. “If you’ve been given a lease for 30 years and you’ve worked through the 30 years, it cannot be business as usual. Those neo-colonial types of agreements cannot continue.”
Tandoh emphasized that Ghana is open to investors, but wants partnerships based on mutual benefit and equity. “We’re not saying don’t come. We’re saying, let’s do fair business. Let’s look again at what we signed 30 years ago. The times have changed.”
The Minerals Commission is currently evaluating existing agreements to ensure sustainability and prosperity. “We are evaluating everything. We are protecting Ghana’s future,” Tandoh said.
He added that genuine investors should not fear fairness, but rather instability. “Genuine investors are not afraid of fairness. They are afraid of instability. We are offering structure, fairness, and a clear plan for growth.”
Tandoh concluded that the shift in policy is a matter of principle and national interest. “This is not abrupt. This is deliberate. It is strategic. And above all, it is for Ghanaians.”