Deputy Lands Minister, George Mireku-Duker, has said there is no cause for alarm over a mining license granted to Atlantic Lithium.
This comes on the back of a Bloomberg report about the license after Ghana discovered high-grade lithium in commercial quantities after almost six years of exploration.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday, Mr Mireku-Duker, who doubles as the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Member of Parliament, said it was a step in the right direction.
“The report is very normal. I would rather be worried if they had said Ghana has been cheated,” he said.
According to him, it is in the interest of the nation given that the Ministry is not seeking to export unrefined lithium.
Ghana has granted a 15-year license to Atlantic Lithium Limited as the nation positions itself to tap into the multi-billion-dollar global industry.
The license enables it to start a lithium mine at a 42.6-kilometre site at Ewoyaa in the country’s Central Region.
Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) will acquire a 6% stake in the Ewoyaa project and a 3.06% stake in Atlantic Lithium.
Atlantic Lithium will also be required to be listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.
Despite the mixed reactions about the duration, the Deputy Minister has assured that this is the best option, considering what was proposed by some countries that are at the forefront of lithium mining.
“Zimbabwe proposed 25 years; Argentina which is the fourth largest producer of lithium in the world gave us 30 years. Mali, which is the third in Africa, also gave us 30. So I believe this is in the interest of the nation,” he added.
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