Director of Communications for the United Party (UP), Solomon Owusu, has condemned the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for criticising the approval of the Damang Mining Lease granted to Engineers and Planners Ltd (E&P).
He argues that E&P has the necessary mining experience to take over the Lease, and the NPP’s attempts to imply wrongdoing because the company’s owner has connections to the President are baseless.
“Who is in this country does not know that Ibrahim Mahama is involved in mining? Who in this country does not know that E&P has been involved in mining?” he quizzed on the BigIssue segment on the NewDay morning show on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
According to him, Ghanaian-owned enterprises should lead the country’s mining and extractive industry, likening it to Ghana’s call for slavery reparations. Owusu questioned whether foreign takeover of the mining sector is preferable to locals taking over and retaining revenue to boost the economy.
“When the President of this land went to the UN and filed that motion on reparation, I have always said that for us to believe in that reparation, that reparation must start from Ghana. Are you happy that for more than 100 years that we’ve been mining in Ghana, we cannot boast of a single indigenous mining company mining in our name?” he quizzed, accusing Ghanaians of contributing to the country’s downfall.
“The Damang Mines, when did they start operation, is it not 1997? For 30 solid years, you have Goldfields South Africa shipping the monies out of this country to South Africa, and we are the nemesis of this country.”
His comments follow the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ official approval of the grant for Ghanaian-based E&P, after concluding a high-stakes competitive bidding process designed to revitalise the Damang Mine, which is one of Ghana’s most significant mineral assets.
In a press release issued today, April 7, 2026, the Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, confirmed he had upheld the recommendations of a specialised Tender Committee, which identified E&P as the most capable entity to extend the life of the Damang Mine beyond the next decade.
E&P emerged victorious from a pool of four companies that submitted bids by the 31st March deadline. According to the Tender Committee’s report, E&P’s proposal was the only one that fully satisfied the rigorous financial requirements, specifically demonstrating “evidence of access to financing, meeting the US$500 million minimum threshold”.
The committee noted that E&P demonstrated superior technical knowledge of the Damang Mine’s unique geology and infrastructure, presenting a comprehensive plan to sustain operations for at least another ten years.
“The Company demonstrated the highest capability to operate the Damang mine, substantiated by their submission of the most viable tender,” the report concluded.
The selection process followed a strict two-phase evaluation under LI 2176. The initial “Mandatory Requirements” phase—which included valid tax, SSNIT, and VAT clearances, as well as a GHS 100,000 application fee—saw two firms immediately disqualified.
Maripoma Mining Services Ltd and Vortex Resources Mining Group were both declared “non-responsive” for failing to submit the necessary documentation.
This left only E&P and Heath Goldfields Ltd for the technical evaluation. However, Heath Goldfields failed to reach the finish line, falling short of the minimum qualifying technical score of 80%. Consequently, their financial proposal was never opened.
The Minerals Commission has been directed to take all necessary regulatory steps immediately to give legal effect to the approval, ensuring a seamless transition and the commencement of the new 10-year development plan.
Heath Goldfields didn’t meet 80% threshold for Damang Mine lease – Ministry of Lands
