Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has called for a national consensus on Ghana’s mineral policy to shield ongoing reforms from partisan politics and ensure successive governments remain committed to retaining more value from the country’s mineral resources. Delivering a speech on his behalf at the Mining in Motion Conference, Essumejahene Nana Okyere Kusi Ntrama said the mineral policy should be treated as a matter of national interest rather than a subject of political rivalry.
He called on traditional and religious leaders, as well as policymakers, to rally behind the reforms, cautioning that a change in government must not reverse efforts to move Ghana away from exporting raw minerals without adequate local value addition.
The Asantehene also warned that attempts to secure greater economic benefits from the country’s mineral wealth could face opposition from interests that have profited from the existing system, alongside international players seeking access to critical minerals for emerging industries.
“I urge first a determined effort to build national consensus on the new Minerals Policy. It is important that we take it out of the realm of partisan politics, and see it as a matter of national honour, so that we stay committed, and any other government that comes in will not come and take us back to where we’re running away from now,” he said.
Reflecting on Ghana’s mining history, the Asantehene cited previous efforts to strengthen state control over mineral resources under Dr Kwame Nkrumah and General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, noting that those initiatives did not achieve their intended outcomes.
He acknowledged that President John Dramani Mahama’s current approach operates within a free-enterprise economy, where private investment remains central to economic activity. However, he emphasised the need for a consistent policy direction that transcends changes in political leadership.
He stressed that the reforms must translate into tangible benefits for Ghanaians while safeguarding efficiency, production, sound management and safety across the mining sector.
