Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has called for a review of the 1992 Constitution to better regulate agreements in the extractive industry.
She argued that when Ghana’s agreements with foreign investors are compared to those of other jurisdictions, it becomes evident that the country is being overly exploited.
Madam Akuffo, who currently serves on the Council of State, questioned why Ghana continues to enter contracts that grant foreign companies significant control over the country’s natural resources, often to the detriment of the nation.
Speaking in a recent media interview in Accra, she raised concerns about the policies guiding mineral resource extraction and the distribution of proceeds between the state and foreign investors. She described these agreements as woefully unfavorable to Ghana.
“Why are we still doing it like we are in the days of Guggisberg?” she queried, referencing colonial-era policies.
Her remarks formed part of broader concerns about issues the Council of State should focus on, beyond those presented by the President.
“What should be our policy on our natural resources? The things under our ground that we neither seed nor feed, yet belong to us entirely—why do we position ourselves to be exploited when it comes to making use of them?” she asked.
She emphasized that mining communities, despite hosting valuable resources, often remain underdeveloped, with little to no benefit from decades of mineral extraction.
“You wonder, and you end up with really pathetic towns where valuable minerals have been extracted for decades, even centuries. When you think of the amount of gold, diamond, or other resources mined over the years, you ask yourself—what went wrong? Why?” she stressed.
Madam Akuffo reiterated the need for a reassessment of Ghana’s approach to mineral resource management, calling for policies that ensure fair benefits for the country and its people.
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