Traditional leaders of Ewoyaa, Krampakrom, and surrounding communities in the Central Region have voiced strong opposition to the government’s decision to reduce Ghana’s lithium royalty rate from 10% to 5%, describing the move as a shortchange to local communities.

The reduction follows a request from mining company Barari Ghana Limited, which cited a significant drop in global lithium prices and sought a review of its mining lease terms.

The chiefs said they were only informed of the consultation process through a public notice in newspapers, coinciding with a Resource Index Dashboard training workshop held on Wednesday, November 26, organised by Friends of the Nation and the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP).

Speaking to Citi News on Thursday, November 27, Charles Paa Grant, secretary to the chief of Krampakrom, urged the government to halt implementation of the 5% rate and engage stakeholders more thoroughly.

“To cut to the chase, I think we should stick to the 10% because they haven’t specified whether the reduction is immediate or gradual. If prices rise again, they could adjust it arbitrarily. Insisting on 5% now is short-changing our communities,” he said.

The chiefs warned that the lower royalty rate could negatively affect planned development projects and social infrastructure in lithium-mining communities, potentially limiting benefits for local residents.