The vice president of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons has stated that Ghana's failure to refine its minerals, including gold, bauxite, manganese, and lithium, is not accidental but deliberate.

In a post on X platform, Mr Simons emphasized that influential figures within government are hindering efforts to add value to these minerals, undermining the country's potential for economic growth.

"Newsfile watchers will remember my "fight" with a Ghanaian govt mining official over Zimbabwe's edict to force value addition to lithium & ban ore & concentrate exports. He claimed it wasn't true even when we showed documents. Well, it has started! The factories are ready."In Ghana? A few days ago, the company with the only lithium mining lease brought wholesalers to inspect the site. They are selling forward 100% of all the lithium that will be produced. So no material to turn into battery-grade carbonate. In short: no real value addition."For those who think the failure to add value to other minerals Ghana has produced for a 100 years (like gold, bauxite & manganese) is merely accidental; no, it is not. Govt insiders won't let it happen. End of story." he added.

Mr Simons's remarks come amidst renewed attention on Ghana's mineral sector, particularly in light of recent developments regarding lithium mining.

For over a century, Ghana has been a significant producer of various minerals, yet the country has struggled to capitalize on its resources by refining them into higher-value products.

Ghana has granted a 15-year lithium mining license to Atlantic Lithium Limited, positioning the country to tap into the lucrative global lithium industry.

Barari DV Ghana Limited, a unit of Atlantic Lithium, holds the lease to construct a lithium mine in Ewoyaa, Central Region, pending environmental permits from the EPA and the Minerals Commission.

1/Newsfile watchers will remember my "fight" with a Ghanaian govt mining official over Zimbabwe's edict to force value addition to lithium & ban ore & concentrate exports. He claimed it wasn't true even when we showed documents. Well, it has started! The factories are ready. pic.twitter.com/nSMF0FmF3d— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) March 21, 2024

2/In Ghana? A few days ago, the company with the only lithium mining lease brought wholesalers to inspect the site. They are selling forward 100% of all the lithium that will be produced. So no material to turn into battery-grade carbonate. In short: no real value addition. 😥😡— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) March 21, 2024