Policy analyst Dr Steve Manteaw
Policy analyst Dr Steve Manteaw sees nothing wrong with the government’s refusal to renew the Damang mining lease for Goldfields.
An internal memo announcing the government’s decision to the workers of Goldfields indicated that measures will be taken to ensure their protection as a result of the lease refusal.
Goldfields has stated that they are working with the government to secure approval, but in the meantime, they are preparing to relinquish the lease on April 18, 2025, when it expires.
In a Facebook post, Dr Steve Manteaw emphasised that the issue is not the decision to deny the lease renewal for Goldfields.
Rather, Ghanaians should be concerned about who will be granted the lease after Goldfields’ exit.
He wrote: “I see no issue with the refusal to renew the Goldfields Damang lease, since the company itself began deinvesting in the project two years ago and directed all subsidiaries and suppliers to demobilize. The sudden interest in the mine, now expressed by Goldfields, is strange and should serve as a caution to the regulator to avoid a repetition of past mistakes.
“For us as citizens, our interest at this moment lies in what happens to Damang—and that decision ought to be made transparently and in our collective national interest. Shalom,” he added.
Watch the latest edition of BizTech below:
Click here to follow the GhanaWeb Business WhatsApp channel