The Minority in Parliament is demanding the immediate resignation of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, on the grounds of allegedly mismanaging the controversial Barari DV lithium agreement.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said the Minister misled Parliament by defending the agreement and claiming it was in Ghana’s best interest.
He noted that the deal was later withdrawn because of “inadequate consultations,” which contradicts the Minister’s earlier position.
According to Mr. Assafuah, the Minister must take personal responsibility for the information provided to Parliament. He stressed that withdrawing the agreement after defending it has damaged public trust and embarrassed Parliament.
He added that consultation with stakeholders should be done before an agreement is brought to Parliament, not after it has been withdrawn due to public pressure.
The Minority emphasized that lithium is a strategic mineral important for Ghana’s industrialization, energy transition, job creation, and environmental sustainability.
They argued that such a resource must be managed with clarity and consistency, which they say was missing in the handling of the Barari DV deal.
According to Mr. Assafuah, in a democracy, a minister must take responsibility when there are contradictions on issues of national importance.
“For these reasons, the Minority in the 9th Parliament believes the right thing for the Minister to do is to resign,” he said.
The Minority’s demand comes as civil society groups and opposition MPs continue to raise concerns about the agreement, which was recently presented to Parliament for approval before being withdrawn.
They maintain that the situation highlights the need for stronger oversight in managing Ghana’s strategic mineral resources.
Source: Nana Amoako Gyampa
