Patrick Boamah
The Minority in Parliament has raise an alarm over the newly introduced Minerals and Mining Royalties Regulations, 2025 saying it could undermine the country’s ability to attract critical investment into the mining sector if the government fails to balance its revenue objectives with investor confidence.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, who spoke with the media in parliament on the regulation after its 21-day maturity period, further predicted a potential one million jobs loss in the sector following the introduction of the law.
According to the lawmaker, the new royalty framework risks making Ghana less competitive in the global mining industry at a time when the country is seeking to attract billions of dollars in new investment and expand local participation in the sector.
The instrument was laid in Parliament on December 19, 2025, by the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, on behalf of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, and was subsequently referred to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee for scrutiny.
Mr. Boamah, who is also the Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, said although the committee performed its oversight duty by examining the regulations and raising concerns about their potential effects on the mining industry, members of the Minority remained dissatisfied with the policy direction.
Mr. Boamah noted that Ghana already ranks among countries with some of the highest fiscal burdens in the mining sector, warning that further increases in royalty regimes could drive investors to competing jurisdictions such as Peru, Colombia, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali.
“The signal this sends to investors is that Ghana may not be as attractive as other mining destinations,” he said, adding that mining companies closely monitor fiscal policies when deciding where to commit long-term capital.
Mr. Boamah further accused the government of failing to honour its pledge to the mining community to reduce the Growth and Stabilisation Levy from 3 percent to 1 percent as a way of cushioning companies against the impact of the new royalty framework.
According to him, the promise was made during engagements with stakeholders, including representation from the Ministry of Finance, but no formal measure has yet been introduced before Parliament to implement the reduction.
“This raises serious concerns about the government’s commitment to supporting the mining sector,” he stated.
The MP warned that if the regulatory environment becomes unfavourable, the country risks losing significant investment flows projected for the sector.
He indicated that about seven billion dollars in mining investment is expected to flow into the country by 2028, a development that could be jeopardised by policies perceived as punitive.
Mr. Boamah also cited reports suggesting that the new fiscal regime could lead to significant job losses in the sector if companies scale down operations or redirect investments elsewhere.
He therefore urged the government to review the policy framework and adopt a more balanced approach that protects national revenue while ensuring the mining sector remains competitive and capable of sustaining employment and economic growth.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House