Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has urged Zijin Mining Group to make Ghana a strategic base for expanding its operations and investments across Africa.

He said Ghana was well positioned to serve as a focal point for the global mining giant’s African operations and called for a long-term partnership that would create mutual benefits for both the company and the country.

“We want you to make Ghana your focal point and perhaps the springboard of your exploration in Africa,” Mr Armah-Kofi Buah said.

The Minister made the call during an interaction with the President of Zijin Mining Group, Lin Hongfu, as part of his official visit to China to promote Ghana’s mining sector as an attractive destination for global investment.

Minister seeks long-term partnership

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah urged Mr Lin to view Zijin’s relationship with Ghana as a long-term strategic partnership rather than a short-term business venture.

He said the government was prepared to work with the company to develop a mutually beneficial model for its operations in Ghana.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah described the establishment and expansion of Zijin’s presence in Ghana as a positive development, stressing the importance of building a strong relationship from the outset.

“If a good relationship will last long, you can see it from the beginning,” he said.

According to the Minister, Zijin had, within about a year of its operations in Ghana, supported several government initiatives, including the reclamation of degraded mine lands, afforestation, and health and education projects.

He said those interventions demonstrated the company’s commitment to the country but urged it to do more.

“This clearly shows that the company has a commitment to stay in Ghana. We think you should do more,” he said.

Zijin pledges stronger Ghana operations

In response, Mr Lin pledged to build a robust mining system in Ghana as part of Zijin Mining Group’s global operations.

He said the company had an in-house research institute, a global supply chain and financial networks supporting its operations across 17 countries outside China.

Mr Lin said the company had the technical and institutional capacity to introduce international best practices into its Ghana operations.

He assured the Minister that Zijin would leverage those resources to strengthen its operations and contribute to the development of Ghana’s mining industry.

Zijin to introduce electric vehicles

Mr Lin also disclosed plans for the company to introduce electric vehicles into its Ghanaian mining operations as part of efforts to reduce emissions.

The initiative, he said, would support the company’s efforts to adopt cleaner technologies and improve the environmental performance of its mining activities.

The development aligns with the government’s push for greater adoption of environmentally sustainable technologies in Ghana’s mining sector.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah’s visit to China forms part of efforts by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to attract global mining investment, promote responsible mining practices and explore technological partnerships that can support the transformation of Ghana’s mining industry.