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Accra, Ghana – The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Andrews Tandoh, has dismissed concerns that Ghana is veering toward nationalisation of its mining sector, asserting that the country is instead pursuing a strategic indigenisation agenda to secure fairer outcomes for its citizens.
“There hasn’t been a policy for nationalisation. We are not Burkina Faso. We are not Mali. But we are pushing for indigenisation,” Tandoh said during an interview on Joy News.
His remarks come amidst public debate over the government’s decision not to renew the mining lease for Gold Fields Ghana’s Damang Mine—a move some critics have interpreted as a shift toward state control. But Tandoh was firm in his rebuttal, stressing that the core objective is to reform outdated agreements and create more equitable partnerships.
Beyond Perpetual Leases
“We support foreign investment,” Tandoh affirmed, “but some of these agreements cannot be in perpetuity. If you’ve been given a lease for 30 years and you’ve worked through the 30 years, it cannot be business as usual. Those neo-colonial types of agreements cannot continue.”
Tandoh described the government’s stance as measured and deliberate, not reactionary. “This is about Ghana. This is about ensuring our infrastructure, our communities, and our people benefit from what is under their feet.”
A Call for Balanced Partnerships
The Commission’s position, he said, is rooted in the principle of mutual benefit. Ghana welcomes investors, but under fair and forward-looking terms.
“We’re not saying don’t come. We’re saying, let’s do fair business. Let’s look again at what we signed 30 years ago. The times have changed.”
Tandoh revealed that the Minerals Commission is actively reviewing existing mining agreements as part of a broader effort to reform the sector and promote sustainability and inclusive growth.
“Genuine investors are not afraid of fairness. They are afraid of instability,” he noted. “We are offering structure, fairness, and a clear plan for growth.”
National Interest at the Core
Tandoh concluded with a strong emphasis on national interest, noting that the government’s approach is rooted in long-term strategy, not populism.
“This is not abrupt. This is deliberate. It is strategic. And above all, it is for Ghanaians.”
As Ghana repositions itself within the global mining economy, Tandoh’s comments serve as a clear message to both foreign and domestic stakeholders: the era of extractive imbalance is coming to an end, and a new era of fairness, equity, and national benefit is on the horizon.