The former Lands Minister and MP for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has launched a scathing critique of the revised Barari DV Ghana Lithium Mining Agreement, accusing the current administration of “shortchanging” the Ghanaian people.
His argument on the floor of Parliament on Thursday March 19, centered on a perceived “U-turn” by the government.
He reminded the House that the NDC, while in opposition, had fought tooth and nail for mineral sovereignty even suggesting that the state should halt mining entirely if it could not fund the projects itself.
”If you export lithium in its raw form, you shortchange your country,” Jinapor stated, echoing the very sentiments once championed by his political rivals.
The crux of the controversy lies in the “Value Addition” clause.
According to the former sector minister, previous versions of the deal mandated that Barari DV establish a domestic refinery to process raw lithium into high-value components.
This would have positioned Ghana as a hub for green energy in Africa.
However, he revealed that the latest 12-page report submitted to Parliament has completely omitted this mandatory refinery clause.
It isn’t just the infrastructure that is missing; it’s the money.
Jinapor highlighted a significant drop in the state’s stake in the project. “We negotiated for a 19% free carried interest.
Today, this agreement is being presented with only 13%,” he noted, questioning why the state’s share was diluted during the renegotiation process.
With the lithium market booming globally, Jinapor urged Parliament to reject the current report.
Pointing out that the document had already been withdrawn and relaid three times since late 2025, he argued that there is still time to “fix it.”
”The lithium resources are so important to the Ghanaian people,” Jinapor reiterated.
“We must find a way of refining this deal so we can add value to our resources; that is the only way this will benefit Ghana.”
As the debate intensifies, the eyes of civil society and the international mining community remain fixed on Parliament to see if Ghana will stand its ground on value addition or settle for raw exports.
By 1960news.com
