Some traditional leaders and residents of Ewoyaa have kicked against the move
Following the government’s quest to slash Ghana’s lithium royalty rate from 10% to 5%, traditional leaders and residents of Ewoyaa in the Central Region have opposed the move, describing it as a shortchange to affected communities.
According to the chiefs, the consultation process lacked due diligence, as they only became aware of the change when it was published in the newspapers, coinciding with a Resource Index Dashboard training workshop held on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, by Friends of the Nation, a local NGO, and the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP).
The reduction follows a request from mining firm Barari Ghana Limited, which sought a review of its mining lease terms, citing a sharp decline in global lithium prices.
10% royalty in Ghana’s lithium deal was unlawful – Majority
In an interview with Citi News, the Secretary to the Chief of Krampakrom, Charles Paa Grant, called on the government to halt the implementation of the 5% rate and engage stakeholders thoroughly.
He said the 5% rate could significantly undermine developmental projects and social infrastructure in the communities affected by lithium mining.
“I think we should stick to the 10% because they haven’t specified whether it will apply next year or over a few years. If prices increase, they may reverse it or raise it to any amount. But they are insisting on 5%, which is short-changing,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents of these communities have expressed concerns over the impact on their livelihoods, warning that the project could disrupt farming activities in their locality.
“They stopped us from working. We have not been farming in our communities since last year. They have deprived us of building, farming, and doing many other things. During that time, what are we going to do? Are they going to compensate us?” one resident asked.
Residents of the communities say their livelihoods have been heavily impacted even before full-scale mining begins, with predominantly farming communities fearing crop destruction once Barari DV Ghana Limited starts operations.#CitiNewsroom #CitiFM #GhanaNews pic.twitter.com/8DVtMneJZq
— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) November 27, 2025
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