Parliament will hold special hearings on Ghana’s extractive industries to assess their impact on national development and job creation, Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Mahama Ayariga, has announced.
He made the announcement as the House reconvened on Tuesday October 21 for the Third Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.
Delivering his opening remarks, Mr. Ayariga said the hearings would evaluate how well local content laws are being implemented to ensure that Ghanaians benefit directly from the country’s mineral and petroleum wealth.
“We propose to hold a special parliamentary hearing on the extractive industries with a view to exploring their impact on beneficial national economic development, overall benefit to the country, and in particular, the extent to which local content legislation are being enforced to create jobs for Ghanaians and promote local ownership,” he told the House.
The Majority Leader emphasized that job creation remains a top priority for Parliament, noting that unemployment continues to be the number one concern among Ghanaians, particularly the youth, who make up 38 percent of the population and 60 percent of the labour force.
“Every sector of our economy has a job creation potential, and our debates and deliberations in this meeting will focus on how this Parliament will hold sector heads accountable for ensuring that those jobs are indeed created to the benefit of Ghanaian youth,” Mr. Ayariga said.
He revealed that sector committees of Parliament will be directed to hold public hearings and field reviews to assess the effectiveness of government job creation policies, particularly in industries such as mining, oil and gas, and agriculture.
Mr. Ayariga underscored Parliament’s renewed commitment to its oversight role, promising that the NDC’s “super majority” would not shield government appointees from scrutiny but rather ensure delivery on promises made to the Ghanaian people.
“We will continue to demand performance and delivery of promises made in our manifesto.
The overwhelmingly NDC majority will not treat our counterparts in the executive with kid gloves,” he assured.
The Leader of Government Business also pledged that Parliament would strengthen collaboration with government agencies such as the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promote transparency in the award of mining and exploration licenses, and to intensify the fight against illegal mining (“galamsey”).
The extractives hearings are expected to feature testimony from sector ministers, regulators, and private sector players, as part of Parliament’s wider RESET Agenda to link natural resource governance with sustainable employment and inclusive economic growth.
As Parliament prepares to consider the 2026 national budget, Mr Ayariga called on members to dedicate time and energy to the legislative agenda ahead, which he described as “weighty,” adding that job creation, economic oversight, and accountability would remain central themes throughout the session.
By: Christian Kpesese/ www.naturalresourcesnews.com
