President John Dramani Mahama has made a passionate appeal for Ghanaians to reclaim full control of the country’s gold mining sector and natural resource wealth, stressing that the days of foreign dominance must come to an end.
Speaking on Ghana’s resource development journey, Mahama emphasized the urgent need for a paradigm shift in how the country manages its mineral riches.
“We are discovering new minerals, and Ghanaians must be the first beneficiaries of these blessings,” he declared. “Gold is just one example.”
He traced Ghana’s resource challenges back to colonial times, referring to what he called the “Guggisberg system”—a model under which foreign companies with capital and technology extracted Ghana’s resources, while the country received little in return.
“For centuries, Ghana has been blessed bountifully with natural resources,” he noted, “but we lacked the human capital, the financial resources, and the technology needed to develop them effectively.”
Mahama’s comments come at a time when Ghana continues to grapple with issues of resource control, revenue loss, and environmental damage caused by both legal and illegal mining operations.
He urged that if Ghana is serious about building sustainable wealth, then ownership and control of these resources must shift to Ghanaians.
“If we are to create lasting prosperity for our people, then Ghana must take greater control over its natural resources,” he stated.
