Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo says despite reports that Ghana’s Lithium agreement remains favourable, the move will still hurt the country in the long run.The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, signed an agreement this month with an Australian company to mine Lithium in the Central Region.Speaking as a Distinguished Scholar of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in Accra, Madam Sophia Akuffo said the government must set up a local company to mine Lithium rather than allow foreign companies to do so.“The Republic of Ghana should establish a Ghana Lithium Company. The Ghana Lithium Company should be commissioned to develop the entire value chain, from mining raw lithium to the manufacture of batteries and other products in Ghana.”
“Current international best practices and a local refinery must be established before extraction commences so that there will be no excuses such as ‘we haven’t finished building the refinery, therefore, we are, as usual, exporting raw products,’” she said
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