Paramount Chiefs Dispute 5% Deal, Have No Ideas On Ewoyaa Lithium Mining
The Paramount Chiefs of Nkusukum, Ewoyaa, Mankessim, and Krapa Krom in the Mfantseman Traditional area have denied involvement in negotiating a 5% deal with the Ewoyaa Lithium Barari DV company.
They claim they haven’t discussed any percentage with Parliament and are instead focused on securing employment for youth and compensation for property owners.
In an interview with Douglas Oyiboh Amponsah, The paramount Chiefs expressed frustration with the slow pace of negotiations, stating that community members have abandoned their farms and buildings without receiving compensation.
They urged the government and Minister to expedite negotiations before December ends, warning that otherwise, community members may resume farming activities on the land.
The Chiefs’ stance contradicts earlier reports of a proposed 5% royalty rate, which has sparked controversy in Ghana’s Parliament.
At a stakeholders meeting with community members in ewoyaa and Krapa Krom, krofu, the Minister spokesperson Mr Mahmoud Kabore,of Lands and Natural Resources, the Chiefs emphasized that they’ve not agreed to a 5% or 10% deal.
They’re urging the government to speed up negotiations, as community members are yet to receive compensation for their lands and properties.
Mr. Mahmoud Kabore, Spokesperson for the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, led a delegation to the Awoyaa lithium community in the Mfantseman Municipality to engage with citizens and traditional leaders.
He urged the community to remain calm, stating that the government is working to finalize the deal and that Parliament will ultimately approve the agreement.
Kabore emphasized that the focus should be on the benefits the project will bring, rather than the 5% or 10% royalty rate being debated in Parliament.
He encouraged cooperation between the community and the mining company to facilitate negotiations.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has been actively engaged in discussions on the Ewoyaa Lithium Project, meeting with civil society organizations to discuss the project’s agreement.
The government is committed to a deal that benefits both the local community and the nation, focusing on royalties, equity participation, environmental protection, and community development.
Key terms include a 13% free carried interest for Ghana and a 6% stake for the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF).
The Mfantseman Municipal Chief Executive, Hon Eric Stanley Acquah, expressed optimism about the project’s benefits for the community.
He then reiterated that all this deal Will come on for us to enjoy the lithium company in the Mfantseman Municipality and it will be a safeguard and community development initiatives, Hon Eric Stanley Acquah asure that minister spoke person visit to the ewoyaa lithium barari dv company sit, ongoing stakeholders engagement and consultantatios are part of the government effort to ensure the project success.
By Douglas Oyiboh Amponsah.
