Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has told the 20th CII India-Africa Business conclave in New Delhi, India, that extraction of critical minerals must be aligned with value addition, local content participation, environmental stewardship and community development.
He said Ghana remained committed to green transition and looked forward to a future that is sustainable.
According to him, the mining sector contributed an estimated GH₵11.7billion to the Gross
Domestic Product in 2023 and GH₵17.7 billion in 2024.
The total share of the mining sector to Government’s total revenue was 8.6% and 9.5% in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Selling Ghana mineral resources to the Business summit, Minister Nelson reiterated that Ghana was rich in mineral resources such as gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese, Iron and industrial minerals such as limestone, silica, clay, kaolin and the recently commercial discovery of lithium.
Africa’s critical minerals, the Minister indicated, presented a historic opportunity to drive the green transition globally and transform our economies locally.
Transparent governance, resilient institutions and a focus on sustainability he highlighted, would ensure that those resources do not become a curse in Ghana, but rather a blessing for generations to come.
The Western Regional Minister high-level delegation to the Africa Business summit included Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives from the Western Region.
The event brought together prominent leaders, including the Deputy Prime Minister of India, Heads of State and government, senior ministers, diplomats, industry leaders and business delegates from India and Africa, for a high-level dialogue on mining and energy.
Continuing, Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson commended the President of CII and the entire CII team for their efforts in strengthening partnerships and alliances between the Indian government and businesses, and their African counterparts.
He noted that the 20th CII Conclave provided a unique platform for participating states to leverage their resource potentials for mutual and sustainable benefits.
Highlighting the vast opportunities in Ghana’s mining and energy sectors, Minister Joseph Nelson told the summit, “We have been mining for centuries and discovered oil only recently making the country an anchor for the energy and mining sectors”.
The mining sector, he told the summit, contributed an estimated GH₵11.7billion to the Gross
Domestic Product in 2023 and GH₵17.7 billion in 2024.
The total share of the mining sector to Government’s total revenue was 8.6% and 9.5% in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Ghana occupies the 6th position globally and number one in Africa as one of the top producers of gold.
This Minister assured the business delegates from India and Africa that the Republic of Ghana was actively working to fully explore its hydrocarbon potentials, particularly natural gas, to achieve a sustainable energy mix.
“We believe that the mining sector’s energy requirements must be reliable, sustainable, and affordable.
“We’re committed to private sector participation in providing cheaper and greener energy sources to drive growth in the mining sector,” he added.
