PETITION TO PRESIDENT JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF GHANA

 

DO NOT RENEW THE GOLDFIELDS TARKWA MINING LEASE

 

To:

 

The President of the Republic of Ghana

 

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources

 

Parliament of Ghana

 

And all relevant state institutions

 

We, the undersigned citizens of Ghana and friends of Ghana, respectfully call on the Government of Ghana not to renew the Tarkwa mining lease of Gold Fields Ghana Limited upon its expiration.

 

This petition is born out of a growing conviction that Ghana must take greater control of its economic destiny and derive greater benefit from its own natural resources.

 

For decades, Ghana has remained one of Africa’s leading gold producers. Yet despite our vast mineral wealth, many mining communities continue to struggle with poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, and limited economic transformation. At the same time, our nation has repeatedly turned to external institutions for financial support while generations of Ghanaians have left our shores in search of opportunities abroad.

 

Today, many of our fellow citizens are returning home from South Africa after losing jobs, businesses, and livelihoods they spent years building. Their stories are a painful reminder that Ghana cannot continue relying on opportunities created elsewhere while enormous wealth is extracted from beneath our own soil.

 

The question before us is simple.

 

If Ghana is blessed with so much gold, why are so many Ghanaians still forced to seek prosperity beyond our borders?

 

The issue is no longer one of capacity.

 

Ghana possesses highly trained mining engineers, geologists, metallurgists, mineral economists, lawyers, financiers, and technical experts capable of leading the next chapter of our mining industry. Across the sector, Ghanaians already play critical roles in the management and operation of major mining enterprises.

 

What is required now is vision, confidence, and political will.

 

We believe the time has come for Ghana to move beyond the automatic renewal of foreign controlled mining concessions and begin building a mining sector that places Ghanaian ownership, Ghanaian participation, and Ghanaian prosperity at its centre.

 

Tarkwa was once proudly known as the State Gold Mine. That history reminds us that Ghana’s mineral resources fundamentally belong to the Ghanaian people.

 

This petition is not anti investment.

 

Ghana remains open to responsible investment and international partnerships. However, partnerships must ultimately serve the long term interests of the Ghanaian people and contribute meaningfully to national development.

 

For decades, Gold Fields has benefited from one of Ghana’s most valuable national assets. We believe that chapter should now come to an end.

 

We therefore respectfully call on President John Dramani Mahama and the Government of Ghana not to renew the Gold Fields Tarkwa mining lease.

 

Our gold must create jobs for our youth, opportunities for our people, and prosperity for future generations.

 

The time has come to place Ghana first.

 

Sign this petition and join the call for a new era of Ghanaian control over Ghana’s mineral wealth.

 

Our Gold. Our Future. Ghana First.