“Ghana must lead its lithium future”: Dr Kpikpi demands 90% state stake at Parliamentary hearing

Ghana must reposition itself as the principal stakeholder in its emerging lithium industry if it is to secure meaningful long-term value from the mineral, Dr John Kpikpi has told Parliament’s Committee on Lands and Natural Resources. 

The 2024 presidential candidate of the Progressive Alliance of Ghana (PAG) made the call during a public hearing that brought together government officials, civil society groups, industry analysts and members of the public to examine the country’s lithium agreement.

Dr Kpikpi expressed dissatisfaction with the current structure of negotiations, arguing that Ghana continues to approach mineral contracts from a position of weakness despite owning the resource. He said the country needed to move away from an arrangement that leaves foreign companies with dominant equity and decision-making authority.

He criticised what he described as the longstanding assumption that Ghana contributes less to mining partnerships than foreign firms, noting that this perception does not reflect the true value of the country’s mineral deposits. “Up until now, we’ve been treated as those who are coming empty-handed, and then the company is coming from abroad with 100 million, so they have to cut all their kindness of heart. Give us 5% 10%… no, we own the thing and the value of the thing. We should bring that to the table.” he laments.

Dr Kpikpi proposed that Ghana’s share of ownership should be determined by the full in-ground value of its lithium deposits rather than the capital foreign companies bring into the country. He argued that such a valuation model would radically shift the negotiating power in favour of the state. “So 90 billion. Here we are, and the company brings 10 billion… That is what it should be like, because 10 billion compared with the value of the resource, that should be the starting point. And from that moment, we call the shots.” he said.

He insisted that this approach would not only secure a larger share of revenue for the nation but would also enable Ghana to assume strategic control over the direction of its mining sector. According to him, meaningful economic returns depend on Ghana taking a dominant role in ownership, oversight and benefit-sharing.

Beyond equity concerns, Dr Kpikpi urged policymakers to prioritise skills development and entrepreneurial support for Ghanaians working in the mining value chain. “We want to get people interested, helping our people to rise up, acquiring skills and techniques and entrepreneurial to organize these minds. Mining is not a difficult thing.” he said.

He further raised alarm over what he described as extensive capital flight associated with multinational mining operations, asserting that the country has lost billions under existing contractual arrangements. “As we speak, $80 billion has leaked out of Ghana over a 10-year period, but it’s due to this kind of arrangements… So I was expecting that already pushing for an agreement that actually flips it over, where Ghana becomes 90% shareholders” he emphasizes.

Dr Kpikpi argued that with empowered leadership and a stronger institutional framework, Ghana could rent or lease equipment, draw on international technical expertise and reposition itself as the commanding shareholder in its mineral sector. He maintained that such reforms would mark a decisive break from the unequal structures that have long defined the country’s extractive industry contracts.