The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has urged government to end the practice of granting mining leases to foreign firms and move swiftly toward full Ghanaian ownership of the sector.
At a media briefing in Accra, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, a senior fellow of the IEA, said Ghana has the technical and managerial expertise to manage its own mineral resources and should only resort to foreign input through short-term service contracts.
He stressed that government must issue early notices to companies whose leases are set to expire to ensure timely and transparent transfer of operations.
The Institute expressed concern over recent lease renewals for Aboso Goldfields and other foreign firms, calling it a missed opportunity to reclaim ownership.
Dr Osae argued that after more than a century of foreign-led mining, Ghana has seen little transformation and continues to rely on external financial aid.
He called for urgent review of mining and petroleum laws to guarantee local ownership.
On illegal mining, IEA Chairman Dr Charles Mensa said the crisis level of galamsey warranted serious consideration of a state of emergency.
Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo added that the Institute would monitor government’s ongoing interventions to see whether they yield results.
