Vincent Assafuah
The Minority in Parliament has demanded the resignation or dismissal of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, over what it describes as inconsistent and contradictory handling of the lithium mining agreement recently laid before, and subsequently withdrawn from, Parliament.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament yesterday, Ranking Member of the Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, said the Minister’s conduct raises serious concerns about ministerial responsibility, credibility and standards of governance.
According to the Minority, the Minister had given firm and unequivocal assurances to Parliament and the Ghanaian public that the lithium agreement met all legal, technical and procedural requirements.
However, the later withdrawal of the same agreement, reportedly to allow for further consultation and review, directly contradicts those assurances.
“This matter is not about punishment; it is about responsibility. When a Minister assures Parliament that all requirements have been satisfied, and that agreement is later withdrawn on the basis that those requirements were not fully met, accountability must follow,” Mr. Assafuah stated.
The Minority argued that in every functioning democracy, ministers bear personal responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of information presented to Parliament, noting that the integrity of parliamentary oversight depends on such standards.
They recalled that the Minister had forcefully defended the agreement, dismissed concerns raised by the Minority and civil society organisations, and supervised its presentation for ratification.
The subsequent withdrawal of the agreement, the Minority said, amounts to an implicit admission that Parliament was asked to act on information that was, at best, incomplete.
While acknowledging the importance of stakeholder consultation in resource governance, the Minority stressed that such consultations must take place before an agreement is defended and laid before Parliament, not after it has been withdrawn amid public criticism.
“It is neither reasonable nor acceptable to assure Parliament that consultations have been concluded, only to later rely on insufficient consultation as justification for reversal,” the Minority said, adding that this inconsistency lies at the heart of their concern.
Mr. Assafuah emphasised that lithium is a strategic mineral with far-reaching implications for the country’s industrialisation drive, energy transition, youth employment, environmental protection and intergenerational equity.
He warned that the Minister’s “erratic handling” of the agreement has undermined public confidence, weakened Ghana’s negotiating position and exposed Parliament to avoidable embarrassment.
On that basis, the Minority maintained that the honourable course of action is for the Minister to resign or be relieved of his post in the interest of accountability, good governance and the restoration of public trust in the management of the country’s mineral resources.
The Minority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the national interest and ensuring that Ghana’s strategic resources are exploited in a manner that delivers real value to citizens, both now and for future generations.
It also pledged to continue exercising its constitutional oversight mandate, “without fear or favour.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House