GHANA: President John Dramani Mahama has set a clear target: by 2030, raw mineral ores should no longer leave Ghana. Speaking at the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra, he said minerals like bauxite, manganese, iron and lithium must be processed locally instead of being shipped out raw.
“I have set a clear goal that by 2030, raw mineral ores should no longer leave our shores,” Mahama said. “Our alumina, manganese, iron, lithium and other minerals must support processing and industrial development here at home.”
The plan is a phased ban, with legal rules and clear timelines for each mineral. Ghana has already stopped the export of iron scrap and non-ferrous metals. Mining companies will now have to process more of what they dig up inside the country, while the government provides infrastructure, power and skills training.
Mahama wants minerals leaving African ports as finished goods things like batteries, cables and aluminium parts not just raw ore. He also called on other African countries to work together so they don’t undercut each other when dealing with mining firms.
The idea is simple: stop selling raw materials cheap and then buying expensive finished products made from the same stuff. Ghana, Africa’s biggest gold producer, is trying to keep more of the value (and the jobs) at home.