Technical Director of CCB and Representative of CAEB in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Prof. Hercule Kalele, has advised Ghana to adopt an integrated model for the development of its lithium industry to ensure maximum national benefit.
Speaking onChannel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Wednesday, December 3, Prof. Kalele said Ghana must design a lithium policy that aligns with global market demands and fosters strategic partnerships.
“The advice I will give to Ghana is that it needs to have an integrated model on lithium. Design a model according to what the market needs. The country that needs lithium, you can work together. You don’t need to work alone because there are many constraints. You need to have allies with countries that want to produce lithium,” he said.
Prof. Kalele noted that Ghana can draw lessons from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has implemented policies aimed at maximising the value of its critical minerals.
He emphasised that strategic mineral policies are essential for economic transformation, explaining that Congo has shifted from simply exporting raw minerals to adding value locally.
“The policies we have put in place are just to change the way you are doing things. Before, the mineral was transported from the pits to the ports, but right now, we add value and integrate some new product,” he said.
“We’re putting in place the steps in the battery [minerals] value chain, from upstream to downstream. We want to add value to the minerals,” Prof. Kalele added.
Currently, the majority in Parliament has stated that the 10% royalty deal violated Ghanaian law, which sets a 5% royalty under the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2010. In response, the government has presented a revised agreement that aligns the royalty with the legal rate.
source: citinewsroom.com
