The Minority MPs are calling for an urgent parliamentary inquiry into the controversy surrounding the Black Volta gold concession, warning that the dispute threatens the credibility of Ghana’s mineral governance framework.
The caucus says the matter raises serious concerns about legal irregularities, potential conflicts of interest, and reputational risks that could damage Ghana’s standing as a reliable mining destination.
In a statement on Wednesday, July 16, Ranking Member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, described the Black Volta affair as “an urgent matter that sits at the heart of Ghana’s extractive sector governance.”
He said the case reflects the erosion of public confidence and poses risks that extend beyond domestic politics to Ghana’s global mining reputation.
The dispute, which involves Australian-Ghanaian mining firm Azumah Resources and local mining company Engineers & Planners (E&P), has drawn the attention of the Minority over reports that the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has become entangled in the matter through a financing deal with E&P.
With the Minister for Finance currently serving as Chair of the Bank’s Board of Governors, the Caucus says it is concerned about the optics and potential implications of regulatory and political entanglements.
Citing Sections 12 and 14 of the Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703), the Minority noted that any transfer of mineral rights requires prior ministerial approval, not merely a no-objection letter from the Minerals Commission.
“If such ministerial approval was indeed secured, then Parliament must be shown the documentation trail and the underlying analysis,” the statement read.
The Minority warns that any attempt to circumvent the law using procedural shortcuts would violate Article 268(1) of the Constitution, which mandates parliamentary ratification of any concession involving foreign interest.
The Caucus emphasised that it “has deep interest in the matter and must be kept fully informed every step of the way well before the threshold of parliamentary approval is reached.”
The statement outlined five key risks: legal and regulatory irregularities, deviation from national mining policy direction, reputational damage, economic losses, and political accountability.
It questioned the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ management of a mediation process between the two companies and whether regulatory forbearance has been selectively applied.
“The Hansards of Parliament record repeated calls from both sides of the aisle for tighter oversight of mining leases,” the statement noted, referencing debates during the 2018 amendments to the mining law.
The Minority said it is not accusing anyone of wrongdoing but insists that “controversies should not be allowed to build up to this point in the first place.”
The economic implications are also front and centre.
The Minority Caucus argues that the unresolved dispute has stalled one of the Upper West Region’s most promising mining sites, delaying job creation, royalty flows, and economic development at a time when Ghana cannot afford such paralysis.
At the core of the Minority’s concern is the fear that perceived political influence could derail transparency.
“It is as much for the benefit of E&P and its eminent founder that such concerns be properly and effectively managed,” the statement noted, adding that Parliament must ensure that “state institutions do not issue documentation that could be interpreted internationally as conferring rights prematurely or illegally.”
To that end, the Minority has called for a preliminary engagement with the Lands Minister and is considering invoking Article 103 of the Constitution to mandate a formal inquiry by the Select Committees on Lands and Natural Resources and Constitutional and Legal Affairs if answers from the Minister are unsatisfactory.
The Caucus also tabled six specific questions for the Minister, including demands for clarity on the issuance of no-objection letters, legal recognition of parties involved, and the transparency of representations made to third parties like EBID.
“The credibility of our mineral governance regime is on trial. Let this Parliament not be found wanting,” the statement concluded.
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