The government has withdrawn the renegotiated lithium agreement between the state and Barari DV Ghana Limited for broader stakeholder consultations.
The agreement, which proposed a royalty rate of five per cent, had attracted widespread criticism from stakeholders, including civil society organisations, arguing that the previous agreement with a 10 per cent royalty rate offered the country a better deal.
Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, announced the withdrawal on the floor of the House on Wednesday.
He said the reason for the withdrawal is to enable the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to undertake further consultations with relevant stakeholders before representing it to the house.
The minority reminded the Deputy Minister of their earlier advice, which was ignored by the majority, only for them to make a U-turn.
The withdrawal of the lithium agreement is expected to pave the way for renewed dialogue among government, industry players, and civil society groups to ensure that Ghana secures maximum benefits from its mineral resources.
