Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof Ransford Gyampo is unconvinced that the duo of Fui Tsikata and Kofi Ansah, legal brains and mining experts, did a good job with their write up on the controversial mining lease for the exploitation of lithium in Ghana.
Prof Gyampo in the following rejoinder, raises six issues against the duo, who suggested in their widely circulated paper on Monday, December 11, that the deal is good enough for Ghana.
Read Prof Gyampo’s riposte below.
Dear Mr Fui Tsikata and Dear Uncle Kofi Ansah,
1. I questioned the motive for your eloquent write-up yesterday because, it didn’t capture the entire truth. Rather, it abused the truth and contributed to the unexamined view from some quarters that, all is well with our Lithium deal; the foreign companies are probably even going to run into losses and Ghana would make more profit than the foreigners; and so we can all go to sleep.
2. Your calculation of what we are likely to get is quite inaccurate. The foreigners aren’t going to be mining only lithium. There is aluminum, there is silica, and there are other by-products that have serious profit and market value. Ignoring these in your calculations and quoting a lower amount to be realized is problematic.
3. You added that the corporate tax to be paid by the foreign company to the stake of Ghana and the resources or gains likely to be made by the country. Given the respect I have for you, I want to be very decorous in my response to this. Sirs, I questioned the motive for your write-up because, you are already aware that in its own documents, the foreign company insisted that it has been granted a 10-year tax holiday under the Free Zones program, plus special concessions that will make it pay 30% to 50% the usual cost of electricity (lithium processing consumes an awful lot of electricity). So how do we expect more income when we have given them ten years to operate without paying taxes? How can we benefit more when they will only pay about 30% of the cost of electricity they use?
4. The advantages between service contract, joint ventures and your preferred colonial concessionary arrangements, have long been settled in the literature and through other scholarly research. It is a settled debate that countries that are serious in their quest to extricate themselves from the quagmires of poverty and underdevelopment, would go for either a service contract or joint venture agreement in any natural resource deal.
5. I spent the whole night reading to offer a detailed response to your nice write-up, which in my view, rather abuse the truth in our Lithium discourse and I found these links to papers authored by Bright Simmons, which incidentally serves as a great response to yours.
6. I am sharing the links, but before I do, let me say again that, these foreigners can succeed in using whatever means to buy their way in getting the green light to mine lithium. But certainly, we would mobilize the community to ensure that this doesn’t happen. The mobilization has already commenced. Do not forget that, I have a personal interest in this fight because, I am a Ghanaian who is appalled by how we have pandered to Ali Mazrui’s paradox which states that, Africa is the richest continent in terms of natural resources, yet the poorest continent in terms of everything. Secondly do not forget that, I come from Mfantseman and I am from Prabiw, Saltpond, and I take a lot of inspiration from P.A.V. Ansah (the brother of Mr Kofi Ansah).
The links are below:
Latest Stories
-
Samson’s Take: Arrogance of Power, Shameful Policing
6 hours -
Burnley score late to draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford
8 hours -
Bayer Leverkusen extend unbeaten run to 46 games after draw with Stuttgart
8 hours -
Chelsea come from two goals down to draw against Aston Villa
8 hours -
Andre Ayew scores in Le Havre’s 3-3 draw with PSG
9 hours -
GPL 2023/24: Kotoko draw with Medeama; Samartex go 7 points clear of Nations FC
9 hours -
Mahama cuts sod for construction of new multipurpose Jakpa palace in Damongo
9 hours -
NSS management assists Papao fire victims
10 hours -
EXPLAINER: Will dumsor end soon?
10 hours -
IMANI Africa takes on EC, accuses it of lying and publishing half truths
11 hours -
Manasseh Azure calls for investigation and prosecution of those responsible for GRA/SML contract
11 hours -
Kwesi Atuahene: Ghana’s health capital depends on HealthTech – Africa Center for Digital Transformation
12 hours -
13 signs your wife is planning on leaving you and you have no idea
12 hours -
IMANI Africa: Ghana’s EC’s dangerous and pathological conduct
12 hours -
If I speak there will be fire – Salah on Klopp row
13 hours