Parliament has commenced scrutiny of five major mining lease agreements, including the landmark Damang Gold Mine concession now owned by Engineers & Planners (E&P), in a move expected to strengthen indigenous participation in Ghana’s mining industry while boosting investment and government revenue.
The agreements, laid before the House by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources during Friday’s sitting, have been referred to Parliament’s Committee on Lands and Natural Resources for detailed consideration ahead of ratification.
Damang deal
At the heart of the agreements is the mining lease between the Government of Ghana and Damang Gold Mine Limited for the extraction of gold and other minerals over a 37.84-square-kilometre concession in the Prestea Huni-Valley District of the Western Region.
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The lease follows E&P’s acquisition of the Damang Mine on April 18, 2026, ending nearly three decades of operations by South African mining giant Gold Fields and marking one of the most significant transfers of a large-scale mining asset into Ghanaian ownership.
The transaction has been widely viewed as a milestone in Ghana’s efforts to increase indigenous ownership and participation in the country’s extractive sector.
Four additional leases
Parliament is also considering a mining lease agreement between the Government and Golden Star (Wassa) Limited for gold mining over a 63-square-kilometre concession at Wassa Akyempim in the Wassa East District of the Western Region.
Another agreement involves Maripoma Mining Services Limited, which is seeking approval to mine gold and other minerals over a 63-square-kilometre concession at Zongoiri in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region.
In addition, two separate mining lease agreements involving Perseus Mining (Ghana) Limited have been submitted for parliamentary approval.
The first covers a 55.44-square-kilometre concession at Nanankaw-Agyakusu, spanning the Upper Denkyira West District in the Central Region and the Wassa Amenfi East District in the Western Region.
The second relates to a 51.43-square-kilometre concession at Ayanfuri, located within the same districts.
Local value creation
The parliamentary review comes as Ghana intensifies efforts to maximise the economic benefits of its mineral resources through increased local participation, stronger fiscal returns and enhanced regulatory oversight.
Industry analysts have consistently argued that future mining agreements should extend beyond granting extraction rights to include commitments on value addition, local procurement, employment creation, skills development, technology transfer and environmental sustainability.
They have also called for greater transparency in mining contracts to ensure the country’s mineral wealth delivers measurable benefits to citizens and host communities.
Damang a test case
The Damang transaction is being closely watched as a major test of Ghanaian ownership of large-scale mining operations.
Analysts believe that if successfully managed, the project could demonstrate the capacity of indigenous companies to operate major mining assets while retaining a greater share of mining profits within the domestic economy.
Once ratified by Parliament, the agreements will provide legal certainty for mining companies to undertake further exploration and mine development, supporting investment, export earnings and tax revenue from Ghana’s largest foreign exchange-earning sector.
Parliament’s Committee on Lands and Natural Resources is expected to examine whether the agreements adequately safeguard the national interest through favourable fiscal terms, environmental protections and meaningful socio-economic benefits for host communities.