President John Dramani Mahama has said he is not concerned about Russian security assistance in the Sahel region, declaring that anyone committed to fighting terrorism is welcome in the region.
"My opinion on this is that anybody who is committed to the fight against terrorism is welcome," President Mahama said at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
On the deployment of a West African standby force to tackle insecurity, the President said the delay was due to the lack of a United Nations resolution to help provide the finance needed.
Ban on raw material exports
President Mahama also said Ghana is aiming to ban exports of raw materials by 2030 in order to increase value added from critical minerals, specifically citing lithium, manganese, bauxite and gold.
He said 70 per cent of Ghana's gold is currently being refined in Ghana before export, and that he was "sure that soon we refine 100% of gold."
On cocoa, the President said he was aiming to process at least 50 per cent of cocoa beans locally, with only 50 per cent of any year's production available for exports.
"That should bring some of the processing home and create jobs for people," he said.
