Ghana plans to tighten bauxite export laws, minister reveals

Ghana plans to implement a new legislative framework to restrict the large-scale export of raw bauxite. Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, made this announcement during the opening ceremony of the 2024 West African Mining and Power Conference and Exhibition (WAMPOC/WAMPEX) in Accra.

Minister Jinapor detailed the government's strategic vision for leveraging Ghana's extensive bauxite reserves to foster the development of an integrated aluminium industry. The proposed legislation is part of a broader initiative to maximise the economic benefits of the country's mineral resources, ensuring value addition and job creation within Ghana.

“We are in the process of enacting a Legislative Instrument, pursuant to section 28 of the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation Act, 2018 (Act 976), to restrict the export of bauxite in its raw state,” the minister announced.

“This will enable us to leverage our over nine hundred million tonnes of bauxite resources to build an integrated aluminium industry in-country”.

He noted that the government continues implementing policies and programs to create an enabling environment to foster sustainable investment in responsible mining and power generation.

Jinapor said, “We are investing in infrastructure to decentralise the Minerals Commission's operations, making it more efficient in regulating and monitoring mining operations."

Additionally, he stated that the government is committed to relocating the Minerals Commission’s regulatory authority to the actual mining sites. This move aims to enhance service efficiency and improve the monitoring of mining activities.

According to him, ongoing efforts are being made to enhance regulatory frameworks to foster transparency, accountability, and good governance within the sector. This involves active collaboration with industry stakeholders, including the Ghana Chamber of Mines.

The Minister added, "The Chamber of Mines is our natural partner in exploiting and managing our mineral resources to encourage investments in sustainable technologies, practices and initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts".

Furthermore, he claimed that the government is actively encouraging investment in exploration to discover new mineral reserves, thus ensuring the enduring sustainability of our mining sector.

“We are, for example, working with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Ghana Chamber of Mines, under the guidance of the government’s Economic Management Team, to explore the best framework for treating critical imposts such as Value-Added Tax (VAT) on exploration,” he stated.