The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, over what they describe as inconsistencies and mismanagement in the handling of the controversial lithium agreement with Barari DV Limited.
Speaking on behalf of the Minority on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, accused the Minister of misleading Parliament by vigorously defending the deal and insisting it was in Ghana’s best interest, only for the government to later withdraw it citing inadequate consultations.
“And the same agreement is later withdrawn on the basis that those requirements were not in fact fully met. Accountability must necessarily follow,” Mr Assafuah stated, emphasising that ministers bear personal responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of information presented to Parliament.
He argued that the sequence of events including the minister defending the agreement before Parliament and subsequently retracting it, undermines public confidence, weakens Ghana’s negotiating position with investors, and exposes Parliament to unnecessary embarrassment.
“The integrity of parliamentary oversight depends on it. While consultation and stakeholder engagement are essential, such engagement must occur before an agreement is presented to Parliament, not after it has been withdrawn under public pressure,” the Old Tafo MP added.
Mr Assafuah stressed that lithium, as a strategic mineral, is critical to Ghana’s industrialisation agenda, energy transition goals, youth employment creation, and environmental sustainability. He contended that managing such a vital resource demands clarity, consistency, and foresight, qualities he said were absent in the Minister’s handling of the Barari DV deal.
The Minority MP warned that in a functional and accountable democracy, a minister who presides over such contradictions on matters of national importance must take personal responsibility.
“In these circumstances, the Minority of the 9th Parliament is of the firm view that the honourable course of action is for the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to resign,” he declared.
The call for resignation comes amid heightened scrutiny from civil society organisations and opposition lawmakers over the lithium deal, which was initially laid before Parliament for ratification earlier this month before being abruptly withdrawn.
The Minority maintains that the reversal exposes significant governance gaps and underscores the urgent need for stronger parliamentary oversight of agreements involving Ghana’s strategic mineral resources.