Annoh-Dompreh criticises government over Goldfields-Damang lease extension without parliamentary approval
Annoh-Dompreh has condemned the government’s approach, accusing it of bypassing the required democratic processes by failing to seek prior parliamentary approval for the agreement
Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has sharply criticised the government for what he describes as a “deliberate sidestepping” of parliamentary scrutiny in the recent lease extension granted to Gold Fields Limited for its Damang mine operations.
The mining giant recently announced it had secured a one-year lease extension from the government, allowing continued operations at the Damang mine until mid-2026.
The deal comes after months of uncertainty over the mine’s future and has been hailed by the company as a major breakthrough.
However, Annoh-Dompreh has condemned the government’s approach, accusing it of bypassing the required democratic processes by failing to seek prior parliamentary approval for the agreement.
Addressing journalists, the minority chief whip questioned whether the terms of the lease were in the national interest and suggested the delay in laying the agreement before the House was a calculated move to avoid public scrutiny.
“I have done some painstaking investigation. The government has extended the lease agreement, and as we speak, the company is mining aggressively,” he stated.
“Meanwhile, the agreement, which by law must come to Parliament for approval or ratification before the extension takes effect, has not been presented. You know there’s a Supreme Court ruling on this matter. The government is taking the people’s representatives for granted.”
He further accused the government of undermining parliamentary authority by prioritising political convenience over transparency.
“It cannot be the case that you extend a lease and allow mining to continue, then bring the agreement to Parliament at the last hour because you believe it will be rubber-stamped. That is wrong. We must bring this to the attention of the Ghanaian people.”
Annoh-Dompreh also raised environmental concerns, particularly the government’s silence on land and water reclamation issues in the 2025 national budget.
“When we were passing the Gold Board Bill into law, we flagged these concerns. Yet, in the 2025 budget, there was not a single allocation—no budget line—for land reclamation, water body restoration, or sustainable mining practices,” he lamented.
“Meanwhile, you’re allocating nearly $400 million to the Gold Board but ignoring the environmental costs of the very activities that generate this revenue.”
The minority is demanding greater accountability and transparency in the management of natural resources, insisting that both environmental and parliamentary oversight must not be compromised.
Reporting by Andy Sepah for Asaase News
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