Andy Appiah-Kubi, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged John Dramani Mahama, the President-elect, to form a committee to look into the allocation and distribution of public lands and d examine contracts. for natural resources managed by the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, headed by Samuel Abu Jinapor. “I am calling for a committee to be established to review the disposition of all public lands. He said on GHOne TV: “And once again, I want us to review all natural resource contracts in Ghana.”
Amid the conflict between the Akufo-Addo administration and Blue Gold, a major British mining company that runs the Bogoso Prestea mines in Ghana, over the alleged transfer of mining licenses to a local Ghanaian company, Blue Gold has threatened to launch an international operation. arbitration proceedings under Article 10 of the UK-Ghana BIT if the disagreement is not resolved by January 14, 2025. Andy Appiah-Kubi criticized problems with public resource management.
Sometimes life philosophy is more important than permission. We have a philosophy in place. People who are too arrogant in the face of power tend to abuse public space, money and property, even if this does not always involve placing them in opposition or in government. Let us stop acting in this manner,” he remarked. Mr. Appiah-Kubi stressed the need for honesty in leadership and the need to discourage the practice of misusing public power for private gain. He said: “Let’s make money in the private sector; we don’t make money in government. » Furthermore, Appiah-Kubi suggested a thorough review of all contracts relating to Ghana’s natural resources. He highlighted the country’s lost prospects due to inadequate resource management, emphasizing the need for this action.
Looking at what we are losing, putting an end to theft and using our resources are the steps to taking out of poverty. When you give away our resources for free, how can you expect a nation to be resourceful? York Stock Exchange, regarding the allegedly illegal reallocation of mining licenses. The Minerals Commission and the outgoing Natural Resources Minister have reportedly refused to consider Blue Gold’s current licenses or review its documentation, even though the company has provided evidence. strong financial backing, including official investor documentation showing over $100 million in daily liquidity.
They instead want to transfer the licenses to Heath Goldfield Limited (HGL), a company with a share capital of only 10,000 cedis and no mining experience. Interestingly, the deal is being negotiated with some factions of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who want to exploit the next John Mahama government and drag the nation into a global legal conflict. In addition to Yıldırım Holding, a family-owned company headquartered in Turkey with businesses in coal mining and transportation, Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL) is linked to the family of a former Ghanaian finance minister .
At a board meeting on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, the Minerals Commission decided to hand over the mines to Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL) and their Turkish partners, Yıldırım Holding, by December 12, 2024, well before January 7. 2025, inauguration of the new Mahama government. Critics say the action is both politically motivated and illegal. Any new mining license must be approved by the Parliament of Ghana to be enforceable. However, such a resolution is unlikely to be approved given the expiration of the current Parliament and the expected transfer of political power to an NDC-dominated legislature. This has sparked concerns that the outgoing NPP government is using its remaining time in power to impose dubious deals that favor party members.
Trials are already underway. On behalf of Blue Gold, Kimathi & Partners will seek an injunction to prevent the ministry from awarding new leases. Additionally, Mayer Brown issued an additional injunction against Heath Goldfield Limited. To ensure that its current leases remain valid and intact, Blue Gold has committed to international arbitration under the UK Bilateral Investment Treaty. Due to the prolonged conflict, the Minerals Commission has been unable to maintain the site or produce money, and the mine has been out of commission for three months. Asante MP Akim North also said President Akufo-Addo bore some responsibility for the defeat of the ruling NPP in the recently concluded general elections.
With 6,328,397 votes, or 56.55% of the total valid votes cast, Mahama was declared the winner of the presidency by the Electoral Commission. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP, the former president’s main opponent, obtained 4,657,304 votes, or 41.61% of the total. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) won over 180 seats in the parliamentary elections, costing the NPP many seats in the Ghanaian parliament. According to the lawmaker, President Akufo-Addo could be held responsible for his actions or inactivity in the face of Ghana’s economic problems.
I won’t be personal since we lost because of the government’s economic management. However, in one case, I was among those who suggested that since the individual was not meeting our standards, we should replace him. In this case, I will openly declare that he bears some responsibility for his actions or inactions. “But even more, I will say that our government has not met the expectations of the population,” he continued.