Following the Parliament’s ratification of the Mining Lease Agreement between the government and Barari DV Ghana Ltd., the advocacy group Friends of the Nation (FoN) has issued a stern warning to the government and the company to avoid allowing the clock to dictate the quality of justice for local communities.
While the ratification paves the way for the Ewoyaa Lithium Project in the Central Region, it comes after a three-year delay. This period, according to FoN, was a necessary time for due diligence and stakeholder engagement.
However, as the project shifts into high gear, the group is concerned that the government and the mining company might try to make up for lost time through undue haste in the implementation phase.
“We note that the ratification process experienced delays of nearly three years, reflecting the importance of due diligence and stakeholder engagement in decisions of this nature,” a press release by the group acknowledged.
The Danger of the “Quick Fix”
FoN is urging relevant state institutions and Atlantic Lithium’s subsidiary to resist the urge to rush critical processes, particularly those that directly touch human lives.
The group emphasizes that speed should never come at the expense of community rights, environmental sustainability, or long-term well-being. Specifically, the group highlights three areas where “rushing” could lead to disaster.
Compensation and Resettlement: Ensuring that the over 1,500 project-affected persons are treated with dignity and receive fair value for their losses.
Farmland Protection: Many families depend on the project-area lands right now; rushing to clear land without providing alternative farming sites could leave generations without a source of food or income.
Water and Environment: In an area like Mankessim, which already suffers from months of water shortages, a rushed environmental management plan could turn a scarcity into a total crisis.
“As the project transitions into implementation, it is important that the period of delay does not result in undue haste. We strongly urge the company and relevant state institutions to avoid rushing critical processes; particularly those related to those farmlands that are in the project area which many families depend on now, compensation, resettlement, and environmental management,” the group cautioned.
The Bottomline
The group argues that while lithium is a critical mineral for the global transition to clean energy, the “greenness” of the project is undermined if it leaves the local people in a worse state than it found them.
“All actions must respect and uphold the rights, freedoms, and dignity of affected community members,” it stated.
They insist that the implementation must reflect the voices and aspirations of the people living on the ground, not just national economic interests.
As the Ewoyaa project moves forward, Friends of the Nation says it remains committed to providing local residents with the tools to demand accountability and ensure that this landmark deal serves the many, rather than just the fast-moving few.
