Ghana’s Parliament is set to hold a broad stakeholder engagement on the revised mining lease agreement between Barari DV Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium, and the Government of Ghana for the Ewoyaa lithium project.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday 25 November, 2025, Chairman of the Select Committee on Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, dismissed suggestions that the National Democratic Congress (NDC), while in opposition, opposed the agreement despite its improved fiscal terms. He clarified that the party only insisted that due process be followed in strict accordance with Ghana’s mining laws.
He noted that under the current NDC administration, Parliament is committed to ensuring inclusive participation in all aspects of the agreement to maximise national benefits. As part of this effort, a public forum will be held to solicit input from citizens, industry players, civil society organisations, and traditional authorities.
Alhaji Dauda also urged the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to urgently introduce an amendment bill to review Section 25 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2010 (Act 794).
He explained that the current law sets royalties for mining companies at 5%, which is the same rate the Minister quoted in the revised agreement laid before Parliament.
Citing the law, he said: “A holder of a mining lease, restricted mining lease or small-scale mining licence shall pay royalty… to the Republic at the rate of 5% of the total revenue earned from minerals obtained by the holder.”
According to him, the agreement cannot prescribe a higher royalty rate than what the law permits, stressing that any upward adjustment must be preceded by an amendment of the Act. He argued that a review of the law would also allow government to ensure fairness by requiring other mining companies to pay similar royalty rates as Barari DV Ghana Limited once the amendment takes effect.
“The benefits that we stand to benefit from are that if it is provided by law, whilst Lithium or the company mining lithium will be paying ten per cent or whatever percentage the minister will bring. The other mining companies will also pay the same,” said Alhaji Collins Dauda,
He emphasized the need for the law to be amended first to align with the agreement, emphasizing the government to ensure full legal compliance.
He disclosed that the Committee will hold engagements with relevant stakeholder groups to inform ratification of the deal.
Alhaji Dauda said, “The committee is not in a hurry to pass without taking the views of the public on board.”
“We will not ratify until we have done extensive engagement with critical stakeholders in this country or beyond,”.
He assured Ghanaians that all actions being taken are in the national interest, especially for communities directly affected by the project.
Background
The previous NPP administration signed the Ewoyaa lithium agreement in October 2023, but it did not secure parliamentary ratification before the end of the 8th Parliament.
The NDC government revisited the agreement, resulting in a return of the royalty rate from 10% to the legally mandated 5%, with a provision for future upward adjustment to 10% when market prices improve.
Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who recently laid the revised agreement before Parliament, defended the changes, citing a sharp decline in global lithium prices—from about $3,000 per tonne to around $630 per tonne.
Barari DV Ghana Limited had indicated that the original terms were no longer viable for the company under current market conditions.
The renegotiated agreement additionally provides for VAT deferral on capital inputs and includes provisions for a transshipment facility feasibility assessment.
