The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr Ken Ashigbey, has called for the expedited ratification of Atlantic Lithium’s mining lease, cautioning that prolonged delays are causing Ghana to lose both economic opportunities and its competitive edge within the sub-region.

Speaking to Joy News on the back of renewed discussions over the project, Dr Ashigbey stressed that while Ghana has stalled, neighbouring countries are rapidly advancing their lithium industries.

“Mali just started its second lithium mine. Nigeria has done about four of those. Other countries are going ahead of us,” he noted, adding that Ghana risks falling behind in a sector expected to shape the global energy transition.

He revealed that Atlantic Lithium had already demonstrated strong economic potential at the project site even before operations officially began. According to him, the company had become the highest tax-paying entity in the Mankessim district without extracting “a single ton or a gram of lithium.”

Dr Ashigbey added that close to 100 jobs had already been created in anticipation of the project’s takeoff, but many of these workers have now been left stranded due to the protracted delays.

“Most of those people, because of the delay in starting, have had to suffer,” he said. “It’s not only that — there are compensations that were supposed to be paid, but these have stalled.”

He further explained that training programmes, skills development, and other social benefits tied to the project have also been suspended.

The Chamber of Mines CEO linked the current setback to the controversies that surrounded the mining lease when it was first laid before Parliament last year, saying the impasse has had significant consequences for the host communities and the nation.

“The implications for the people, the implications for us as a country — the fiscal benefits we were supposed to have gotten, the jobs we should have created — all of these have suffered,” he emphasised.

Dr Ashigbey said accelerating the ratification process is critical if Ghana is to secure its place in Africa’s emerging lithium market and avoid further economic losses.

“For me, I think it’s important that we expedite the ratification of this lease,” he concluded.