The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation of Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, accusing him of mismanaging the controversial Barari DV lithium agreement.
Speaking on behalf of the Minority, Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah said the Minister misled Parliament by defending the deal and insisting it was in the country’s best interest, only for it to later be withdrawn due to “inadequate consultations.”
“And the same agreement is later withdrawn on the basis that those requirements were not in fact fully met. Accountability must necessarily follow,” Assafuah said, stressing that ministers bear personal responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of information presented to Parliament.
The MP argued that the sequence of events — defending the deal before Parliament and later retracting it — undermines public confidence and weakens Ghana’s negotiating position. He further noted that such inconsistencies exposed Parliament to avoidable embarrassment.
“The integrity of parliamentary oversight depends on it. While consultation and stakeholder engagement are essential, such engagement must occur before an agreement is presented to Parliament, not after it has been withdrawn under public pressure,” Assafuah added.
Lithium, considered a strategic mineral, plays a critical role in Ghana’s industrialisation agenda, energy transition plans, youth employment, and environmental sustainability. The Minority argues that managing such a resource requires clarity, consistency, and foresight — qualities they say were lacking in the Minister’s handling of the Barari DV deal.
Assafuah warned that in an accountable democracy, a minister presiding over contradictions on matters of national importance must take responsibility.
“In these circumstances, the Minority of the 9th Parliament is of the firm view that the honourable course of action is for the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to resign,” he said.
The Minority’s call comes amid growing scrutiny from civil society groups and opposition MPs over the deal, which was initially presented for parliamentary ratification earlier this month.
They say the reversal of the agreement highlights governance gaps and the need for stronger oversight of strategic mineral resources.
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