Story by, Nsor Paul Mensah
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has called on the Ghanaian government to halt its decision to revoke Abosso Goldfields' mining lease, arguing that the move violates legal procedures and could damage investor confidence.
In a press briefing today, ACEP's Executive Director Benjamin Boakye highlighted several critical concerns, including:
1. The company was not given proper opportunity to address potential application errors.
2. Legal provisions for dispute resolution were not fully followed.
3. The reasons for lease rejection appear to lack substantive legal basis
4. The potential action could trigger international litigation.
Boakye emphasized that the minerals and mining law provides clear protocols for resolving disputes, including allowing companies time to remedy application issues and pursuing alternative dispute resolution.
The organization warned that hasty expropriation could send negative signals to international investors and potentially harm Ghana's mining sector reputation.
ACEP recommended the government:
- Pause the lease termination
- Restart dialogue with Abosso Goldfields
- Follow legal procedures for dispute resolution
- Conduct a transparent review of the lease rejection reasons
The mining lease is set to expire on April 18, 2025.