The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) has raised concerns over the rapid approval of the Damang mining lease awarded to Engineers and Planners Ltd., questioning whether due process was sufficiently followed.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, NRGI Country Manager, Patrick Stephenson, described the timeline of the ministerial approval as unusually fast. According to him, the decision was granted less than two hours after the Tender Committee submitted its recommendations—an interval he believes warrants closer scrutiny.
He noted that Ghana’s mineral licensing regime is designed to pass through several layers of review, including technical assessments, procurement checks and ministerial oversight. The speed of the final approval stage, he suggested, could undermine confidence in the process if not properly explained.
Stephenson further pointed out that while decisions are often announced, the detailed evaluations that inform them are rarely made public. He called for greater transparency, urging authorities to publish the assessment reports behind such high-stakes decisions.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has rejected suggestions of irregularity, insisting that the award followed a competitive and structured process in line with existing regulations.
In a statement, the Ministry explained that the Tender Committee—set up under the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations—assessed all bids and ranked Engineers and Planners Ltd. as the top performer. The company, it said, stood out based on its technical expertise, financial strength and proposals aimed at extending the operational life of the Damang mine.
Out of the four firms that submitted bids, only two met the mandatory requirements, with the others either disqualified or falling short during technical evaluations.
The Ministry has since directed the Minerals Commission to complete the necessary regulatory steps to formalise the lease. It also reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the Damang mine continues to play a significant role in Ghana’s economic development.
The development has sparked a broader conversation about transparency in Ghana’s extractive sector, with stakeholders calling for more openness in how key decisions are made.
