The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pledged to ensure 100% Ghanaian ownership of mineral resources if elected into power.
His commitment arises from his observation that the existing structure of Ghana’s mining sector fosters the perception that Ghanaians lack full ownership of the nation’s minerals.
Dr. Bawumia made this promise while engaging in discussions with religious leaders on April 29, 2024 during his inaugural regional tour, beginning in the Eastern Region.
“I am going to refocus our paradigm for natural resource management. For the most part, Ghana has not maximised the benefits of our natural resources.
“Since the days of the Portuguese in the 15th century, gold has always been taken out of Ghana. We haven’t benefitted much from our natural resources; I am going to change that paradigm. I am going to bring a bigger focus on ownership of our natural resources.
“It is as if right now we don’t own our natural resources. I believe that if we do the exploration; and we are going to empower our universities and the geological service department to do the exploration, once we explore that we have seven gold belts that we haven’t yet discovered. Once we have explored and we know that the gold is here, the new policy is going be that the ownership of those resources will be one hundred per cent owned by Ghanaians,” he stated.
Dr Bawumia further assured that, the current power challenges will soon be a thing of the past.
“I know that there are challenges and I don’t want to paper over economic challenges. We are going to work on them. Currently, we have issues with power but I say that from the information I have received from the minister for energy, those power challenges will very soon, and I mean very soon be a thing of the past.”
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