The Omanhene of the Nkusukum Traditional Area, Nana Okese Essandoh IX, has voiced strong frustration over Parliament’s prolonged delay in ratifying the Ewoyaa lithium mining lease, describing the situation as “very painful” for his people.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Monday, December 1, he said residents of Ewoyaa, Krampakrom, and neighbouring communities have lived in prolonged uncertainty, anxiously waiting for parliamentary approval so the project can finally begin.

“My subjects have been in anticipation, looking forward to when the ratification would be given. In fact, it is very painful, and we cannot understand how, since October 2023, when the mining lease was given, nothing has happened in terms of ratification,” he lamented.

The Ewoyaa Lithium Project, situated in the Mfantseman Municipality in the Central Region, was expected to position Ghana as a significant player in the global battery-minerals market. Yet, nearly two years after the lease was issued, parliamentary ratification remains outstanding.

Nana Okese Essandoh IX revealed that paramount chiefs in the area have held several engagements and consultations to push for progress, but the delay persists without any clear justification.

He warned that the stalled process is crushing hopes of jobs and economic upliftment that the project was expected to deliver. Many young people in the area, he said, were counting on the start of mining activities to secure employment and improve their livelihoods.

The Omanhene is urging Parliament to expedite action, stressing that his people cannot continue to live in limbo while opportunities continue to slip away.