The Center for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS) in collaboration with Integrated Social Development Center (ISODEC) has engaged communities in the Mfantseman Municipality on opportunities and responsibilities that come with the emerging lithium mining industry in Ghana.
The four-week community sensitization program in 2026 was preceded by Ghana’s ratification of the lithium agreement with Barari DV Ghana Limited by parliament. The 2023 deal was renegotiated before being approved by parliament, and paves the way for large-scale mining operations. In a series of live radio discussions, programs on Kobbes FM 103.7 and others, CeSIS and its partners educated residents on mineral revenue management, local content and participation, opportunities for women and youth, compensation, environmental protection and community rights.
A key component of the engagement was to help communities to understand how mineral revenues are generated and distributed, and their role in demanding transparency and accountability from public institutions. Participants also expressed concerns on compensation, royalty payments and effects of the prolonged moratorium on livelihoods.
The program also highlighted opportunities for local businesses, artisans and young people under Ghana’s local content framework. Potential opportunities include contracting, transportation, catering, logistics, technical services and other supplies to the mining value chain.
The community members were encouraged to consider opportunities in catering, trading, transportation, vocational services and the supply of goods and services in addition to direct employment at the mine. Women-owned businesses were also encouraged to make their business formal. The engagements also stressed the importance of community rights, continuous dialogue and responsible mining. Speakers highlighted the relevance of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the need for communities to be adequately informed and meaningfully involved in decisions affecting their livelihoods and compensation.
The organizations called for stronger community participation in resource governance and increased investment in skills development, business formalization and women’s economic empowerment. They also advocated for a regulation to guide the utilisation of mineral revenues at the subnational level.
The engagement concluded that the success of Ghana’s emerging lithium industry should not be measured only by production and revenue generation, but also by whether affected communities are informed, fairly treated, economically empowered and meaningfully involved in decisions shaping their future.