Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has declared a new era of Ghanaian ownership and control in the mining sector following the official handover of the Damang Mine to Engineers & Planners (E&P), describing the transition as a bold step towards economic sovereignty and responsible resource governance.
Speaking at a historic and monumental ceremony to formally transfer operational control of the mine from Abosso Gold Fields Limited to a wholly Ghanaian-owned mining firm, the Minister said government’s decision not to renew Gold Fields’ mining lease in March 2025 was driven by the need to protect a strategic national asset and safeguard jobs.
He recalled that by early 2025, Damang Mine had ceased active mining activities, with only stockpile processing sustaining operations for nearly two years.
“At that time, workers were being laid off and contractors were being sent home. There were no exploration and no proportional investment in the future of this asset,” Mr. Buah stated.
According to him, government had two options – to look away and allow the mine to decline or intervene decisively in the national interest.
“That decision was never about punishing any investor. It was about protecting a national asset, ensuring continuity and protecting the livelihoods of thousands of Ghanaian families,” he said.
The Minister explained that following the non-renewal of the lease, government instituted a carefully managed transition process, including the granting of a temporary lease to facilitate an orderly handover while a competitive tender process was conducted to select a capable Ghanaian operator.
He said the successful completion of the process marked not the closure of a mine, but the rebirth of Damang under Ghanaian leadership.
“Today, we have gathered here not to close a mine, but to restart and renew this mine in Ghanaian hands,” he declared.
Mr. Buah praised the Ministerial Transition Team and the Minerals Commission for ensuring the process met all legal and regulatory requirements, while also commending Gold Fields for cooperating fully with the transition.
Turning to the new operators, the Minister noted that Engineers & Planners was no stranger to the Damang Mine, having served as a major technical contractor since 2002.By selecting E&P, he said, government had ensured that no jobs would be lost, valid contracts would be honoured, and operations would continue without disruption.
“This is our Resource Governance Reset. We are proving that Ghanaians are no longer just workers in our mines, we are the owners, the managers and the visionaries,” he said.
In one of the most symbolic moments of his speech, Mr. Buah said Ghanaian participation in the mining industry had evolved significantly over the decades.
“We began at the tail end of the bus, moved carefully to the middle, and this morning we are signalling to the world that our people are now ready to drive the bus,” he declared to applause.
The lands minister reminded E&P that the Damang Mine remained the property of the Republic of Ghana, stressing that the arrangement was a lease and not a sale.
“This is only a leasing right, not a sell-off. The Republic of Ghana remains the owner of this mineral asset,” he stressed.
The Minister charged the new operators to meet and exceed the standards required of previous leaseholders.
“You must invest! You must explore!” he charged.
Mr. Buah also assured workers and surrounding communities that government remained committed to ensuring the mine’s growth translated into better roads, schools, hospitals and broader economic opportunities.
For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z
