12 percent royalties: Parliament approves Ewoyaa Lithium deal despite ‘takashi’ from Minority

Parliament has approved a lithium mining agreement between the Government of Ghana and Barari DV Limited, paving the way for commercial extraction at the Ewoyaa site in the Central Region, despite opposition from the Minority.

The deal is expected to position Ghana within the growing global market for battery minerals, driven by demand for electric vehicles and energy storage.

Presenting the agreement, Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said the country stands to gain from a revised royalty system linked to global prices. “Given current market conditions, Ghana will get 12 percent royalties due to the sliding scale legislation,” he stated.

Lithium is a key material in rechargeable batteries, and officials say the Ewoyaa deposit could become Ghana’s first lithium-producing mine, while also helping diversify a mining sector largely centred on gold.

The government projects benefits including increased revenue, job creation, infrastructure development, and opportunities for local businesses, with plans to encourage local participation and possible downstream processing.

However, the Minority rejected the agreement, arguing their concerns were not addressed. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said opposition MPs voted against the deal.

“We, the 87 Minority, vote en bloc against this agreement,” he said, citing unresolved issues around revenue sharing, environmental protection, and community benefits.

The government maintains that the sliding-scale royalty system will allow the country to earn more when prices are high while remaining competitive for investors.