The Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Opoku Ansah, has backed growing opposition to the renewal of Gold Fields’ lease for the Tarkwa Mine, arguing that Ghana must rethink how it manages its natural resources to retain more value from its mineral wealth.
Speaking in an interview on the Channel One Newsroom on Wednesday, May 13, the MP said Ghana’s repeated reliance on International Monetary Fund (IMF) support reflects a deeper problem in the country’s economic structure.
He noted that Ghana has turned to the IMF 17 times over the past four decades, which he said highlights the country’s failure to fully benefit from its rich natural resources.
“We need to appreciate that Ghana as a country in the last 40 years has been to the IMF 17 times. What this tells us is that Ghana is rich in resources but very poor in our value retention,” he said.
Mr. Opoku Ansah argued that the country cannot continue exporting raw gold without ensuring that mining communities benefit meaningfully from the wealth generated.
He pointed to Gold Fields’ operations in Ghana, noting that the company reportedly made about 547 million dollars in profit last year, while communities such as Tarkwa and Obuasi continue to struggle with inadequate infrastructure and social amenities.
“That is why for me it is important to have this conversation. We cannot keep on exporting gold,” he said.
He stressed that Ghana must take advantage of the ongoing debate on the renewal of mining leases to ensure greater national benefit from its natural resources.
“For me, it is important that these state assets return to Ghana,” he added.
His comments come amid intensified calls from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for the government to reject any renewal of Gold Fields’ lease for the Tarkwa Mine when it expires in 2027.
The IEA and other stakeholders have argued that Ghana should prioritise local ownership and stronger national control over strategic mineral assets to improve long-term economic outcomes.
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