The Minerals Commission and the Ghana Chamber of Mines have renewed calls for responsible investment, genuine partnerships, and stronger local value creation as cooperation between Ghana and China in the mining sector continues to deepen.
The appeal was made at the 2025 Annual Conference and Chairman Rotation Ceremony of the Association of China Ghana Mining (ACGM) in Accra, which brought together senior government officials, diplomats, regulators, and mining executives.
Isaac Andrews Tandoh, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, said Ghana remained committed to attracting responsible foreign direct investment into the mining sector, but stressed that such investments must align with national development goals and regulatory standards. He noted that Chinese mining companies and institutions had played an important role in Ghana’s mining sector through capital inflows, technology transfer, productivity improvements, and skills development, contributing to broader economic activity across mining communities.
However, Tandoh emphasized that future cooperation must prioritize genuine partnerships, local content, and value addition, stressing the Commission’s resolve to clamp down on fronting arrangements that undermined national interests. Fronting refers to arrangements where foreign entities circumvent local content laws by using Ghanaian partners as mere facades while retaining actual control of operations.
Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, described relations between the Chamber and the Association of China Ghana Mining as constructive and cordial. He said Chinese enterprises continued to make meaningful contributions to Ghana’s economy, not only through mining operations but also across supporting value chains, including infrastructure support, employment creation, and skills development.
Ashigbey highlighted ongoing national discussions on fiscal reforms in the mining sector, including the review of mineral royalty frameworks, and called for inclusive dialogue that balances national revenue interests with the need to sustain investment. He encouraged closer collaboration between Ghanaian and Chinese business communities, regulators, and diplomatic missions to support constructive policy engagement that served the sustainable development of both the industry and the national economy.
Tong Defa, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, praised the progress made in China Ghana mining cooperation and described the Association as an increasingly important bridge between the development strategies of the two countries. He said Chinese mining investments in Ghana were evolving beyond commercial gain to support green transition, technological upgrading, and community development.
The conference marked the formal transition of leadership from Tang Zhenjiang, outgoing Chairman of the Association and head of Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited of Shandong Gold, to Wang Jinquan as the new Chairman. Tang reflected on achievements under his tenure, including the promotion of intelligent mining systems, green energy solutions, technical training programmes, and community support initiatives.
Wang Jinquan, the incoming Chairman, pledged to build on that foundation, deepen engagement with Ghanaian authorities and industry stakeholders, and strengthen member services while promoting innovation, environmental sustainability, and talent development. He outlined a development agenda centered on three priorities: strategically aligning the Association with the broader China Ghana cooperation framework, placing member services at the heart of its work, and embedding responsibility, localization, and green mining practices into long term planning.
Activities implemented during Tang’s tenure underscored the scale and direction of cooperation, particularly at Shandong Gold’s Cardinal Namdini Mining Company in northern Ghana. The company is developing a 100 megawatt solar photovoltaic power project expected to cut carbon emissions by about 92,000 tonnes annually, while supporting innovative solar agriculture initiatives. In 2025 alone, local procurement and employee wages linked to the project exceeded US$330 million.
Mining stakeholders agreed that the future of Ghana China mining cooperation would depend on stronger collaboration between regulators, industry associations, and investors, underpinned by transparency, sustainability, and mutual respect.