The youth of Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti region are appealing to Members of Parliament to urgently ratify the Ashanti Bauxite Limited (ABL) mining lease as Parliament reconvenes for an emergency session on Tuesday, September 3.

During a peaceful demonstration, residents expressed frustration over what they said was a delay, emphasising the critical role the lease plays in the region's development.

Residents of Nyinahin, led by spokesperson Dr. Peter Twum, staged the peaceful protest to highlight their concerns over the delayed ratification of the Ashanti Bauxite Limited (ABL) mining lease by Parliament.

As they marched through the streets of the district capital, the demonstrators voiced their frustrations and called on lawmakers to expedite the ratification process.

Dr. Twum emphasised that the ratification is the final major step required to pave the way for developing a bauxite mine and refinery in Nyinahin and surrounding communities.

He insisted that any further delay is unacceptable, given the project’s potential to transform the district.

“Whoever opposes the ratification of the ABL mining lease is an enemy of progress, and we will never forgive that person,” Dr. Twum warned. “This is the closest we have come to seeing something as major as a bauxite mine with a refinery solution developed in our area. We have been sitting on these bauxite resources since Ghana was founded, yet our people remain impoverished with no job opportunities for the youth. All we ask is for Parliament to hear our request and ratify the mining lease.”

Dr. Twum further stressed that the development of the bauxite mine and refinery will address significant infrastructure deficits and the lack of social amenities such as schools, hospitals, roads, and utilities in the affected communities. He believes this will significantly boost the local economy and tackle high unemployment rates, especially among the youth.

“We commend the partners of the ABL Joint Venture (JV), the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), and Rocksure International for this initiative. However, all these plans cannot come to fruition if Parliament does not ratify the mining lease. This is why every member of the community is on the street, calling on Parliament to do the needful,” Dr. Twum stated.

He also recounted the numerous job opportunities and economic benefits experienced during the initial stages of the project when Rocksure International conducted a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) to assess the bauxite resources within its concession area. “Over 100 direct and indirect jobs were created just at the MRE stage alone, with local artisans, property owners, market women, and others benefiting significantly. Imagine the economic impact when a full-scale bauxite mine and refinery are established,” he added.

The protest, which began at the district community park, saw hundreds of residents from Nyinahin and surrounding areas participating, with many carrying placards some of which read, “Ratify ABL Mining Lease to Empower Our Communities,” “Our Bauxite, Our Future,” “Now or Never,” and “Let Bauxite Benefit All.”

The demonstration also saw support from several groups, including the Market Women Association, Beauticians and Hairdressers Association, Kusasi Association, Atwima Mponua Nkoso, and the Dressmakers Association, among others.

Background:

In September 2021, the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) partnered with Rocksure International Limited, a wholly Ghanaian-owned company, for Project 2, aimed at developing a bauxite mine with a refinery solution.

Rocksure successfully completed and submitted a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) report confirming the presence of bauxite in commercial quantities within its concession area, covering hills 4, 5, and 6 of the Nyinahin range.

The MRE report was presented to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House on November 14, 2023, and to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi. In March 2022, the Asantehene gave his blessings to the partnership between GIADEC and Rocksure International to execute Project 2, which aims to develop a mine and refinery in Nyinahin-Mpasaaso.

A Joint Venture (JV) company known as Ashanti Bauxite Limited (ABL) has been established between GIADEC and Rocksure to build the mine and develop the refinery. The Government of Ghana, after ensuring that ABL has the necessary resources, agreed to grant the company a mining lease. The lease, signed by the company’s representatives and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, now awaits parliamentary ratification as required by Article 268(1) of the Constitution and Section 5(4) of Act 703.

The Speaker of Parliament, The Right Honourable Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, referred the mining lease agreements between the Government of Ghana and Ashanti Bauxite Limited to the Lands and Forestry Committee for review on July 16, 2024. He also directed that members of the parliamentary leadership support the committee in scrutinizing the document.

Following a petition from the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Parliament is expected to reconvene for an emergency session on September 3, 2024. Proponents of the agreement, along with traditional leaders and residents of Nyinahin-Mpasaaso, are eagerly anticipating the presentation of the committee’s report to the plenary for ratification.