The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has called on investors and international development partners to support Africa in transforming its vast mineral resources into sustainable economic growth, industrial development and employment opportunities.
He said Africa must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw minerals to building industries that process natural resources locally, manufacture finished products and create more economic opportunities for its people.
Mr Buah made the call at the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra, where he urged investors to establish partnerships with African countries that promote shared prosperity and ensure that mineral wealth translates into tangible benefits for local communities and national economies.
“The world needs Africa’s minerals. Africa welcomes the world’s partnership,” he said, emphasising the importance of mutually beneficial agreements between African governments and international investors.
He encouraged prospective investors to view the continent not merely as a source of raw materials, but also as a destination for long-term investments in industrialisation, technology, skills development and value addition.
“Come and invest. Come and build with us,” the Minister added.
Mr Buah argued that the success of Africa’s mining industry should not be determined solely by the quantity of minerals extracted or exported, but also by the economic value retained within producing countries.
He said the continent needed to strengthen its capacity to process minerals locally and use them as inputs for manufacturing and other industrial activities.
According to the Minister, such an approach would enable African countries to capture a greater share of the value generated from their natural resources while creating opportunities for businesses, workers and local communities.
For countries such as Ghana, which has a significant mining industry, the transition from exporting raw materials to developing domestic processing and manufacturing capacity presents an opportunity to deepen industrial development and expand employment.
The approach would also encourage greater participation by local businesses in mining-related supply chains, allowing more of the industry’s economic benefits to circulate within the domestic economy.
The Minister’s appeal to investors underscores the need for a mining investment framework that balances the commercial interests of international companies with the long-term development priorities of African countries.
While acknowledging the importance of international investment and partnerships, his message placed emphasis on ensuring that agreements deliver meaningful and lasting benefits to host countries.
These benefits could include investment in mineral processing facilities, technology transfer, workforce training, infrastructure development and opportunities for local enterprises to participate in the mining value chain.
Such partnerships, if effectively structured and implemented, could help African countries strengthen their industrial capabilities while providing investors with opportunities to participate in emerging markets and growing mineral-related industries.
The Minister’s remarks also highlighted the importance of viewing Africa’s mineral resources as a foundation for broader economic transformation rather than simply a source of export revenue.
Africa possesses substantial mineral resources that are important to global industries, including manufacturing, energy and technology. However, the economic benefits derived from these resources depend partly on the extent to which producing countries can develop the capacity to process them and manufacture higher-value products.
Expanding local value addition could help African economies create skilled jobs, develop technical expertise and increase opportunities for domestic businesses.
It could also support the development of industries that serve both local and international markets, reducing dependence on the export of unprocessed commodities.
Achieving these objectives, however, requires sustained investment, reliable infrastructure, appropriate technology, a skilled workforce and policies that encourage responsible mining and industrial development.
Mr Buah’s message at the Mining in Motion Summit placed Africa’s mineral wealth at the centre of a broader conversation about industrialisation, investment and economic self-reliance.
His call for investors to build alongside African countries reflects the need for a mining sector that contributes not only to mineral production but also to the development of industries, skills and businesses capable of sustaining economic growth beyond extraction.
For Ghana and other mineral-producing countries, the challenge is to translate the demand for natural resources into lasting domestic economic opportunities.
The Minister’s appeal is therefore directed at investors willing to support a model of mineral development in which international partnerships contribute to local processing, industrial expansion and job creation.
By 1960news.com
