Government is moving forward with plans to make sure Ghana’s lithium deposits are processed within the country instead of shipped out as raw ore.
This forms part of a wider push to capture more value from the nation’s mineral assets and boost industrial growth.
Speaking at the launch of the 19th West African Mining and Power Expo (WAMPEX), the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said Ghana was taking clear steps to shift from the old extractive approach by building downstream sectors tied to its mineral wealth.
“Ghana is taking deliberate steps to move up the mining value chain from extraction to refining, processing and industrial use so that more of the value generated from our mineral resources is retained within the national economy,” he said.
Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah noted that government was focusing on areas where Ghana holds a competitive edge and can add value through local processing and manufacturing.
He pointed to work by the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), partnering with VALCO, to build a full aluminium chain covering bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminium smelting.
The minister also flagged the work of the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), which is driving efforts to set up a home-based iron and steel sector built on the country’s iron ore reserves.
On lithium, Armah-Kofi Buah said government was set on ensuring the fast-rising critical mineral delivers real industrial growth and jobs inside Ghana.
“As global demand for lithium, a critical input for modern technologies, continues to rise, Ghana is committed to ensuring that its lithium resources are not simply extracted and exported as raw materials, but that value addition takes place here in Ghana,” he stated.
The minister stressed that Ghana’s goals go beyond lithium extraction and processing to creating a battery production ecosystem.
