Ghana is courting strategic investors to unlock what the Minerals Commission says is an estimated 3 trillion ounces of gold still underground, but insists the resource will only be exploited under partnerships that deliver substantial benefits to Ghanaians while guaranteeing fair returns to investors.
Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Tandoh, said Ghana’s next phase of mineral development would prioritise value creation, job opportunities, skills development and improved livelihoods rather than extraction merely for export.
He said the government wanted every ounce of gold extracted from the country to make a meaningful contribution to Ghana’s socio-economic development.
Mr Tandoh made the remarks at the Ghana Day event at the 2026 China Mining Conference in Tianjin, where Ghana showcased its mineral potential and investment opportunities to the international mining community.
Every Ounce Must Benefit Ghanaians
Mr Tandoh said Ghana’s enormous gold endowment presented significant opportunities for international investors, but stressed that future exploitation must produce tangible benefits for the country.
“Ghana still has about 3 trillion ounces of gold on the ground, and that is why we need the best of the best to partner to ensure that whatever we mine, every ounce coming from the ground actually makes an impact in the lives of the people. This is the only condition under which this estimated 3 trillion ounces would be mined,” he stated.
He said the position represented a shift towards a mining model in which mineral wealth translates into broader economic and social development.
Under the approach, Ghana is seeking win-win partnerships that allow investors to earn fair returns while ensuring the country derives greater value from its natural resources.
Ghana Courts Strategic Mining Investors
Mr Tandoh assured prospective investors that Ghana remained open for business and had established an investor-friendly licensing regime to facilitate investment in the mining sector.
He cited the country’s stable investment environment, mine-support services and legal protections, including safeguards against expropriation, as advantages available to investors.
“We have a stable environment, mine-support services, and you are protected from expropriation. Everything in the country supports you as an investor,” he said.
He also highlighted the role of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and provisions in Ghana’s Constitution and mining laws that provide protection and security of tenure for investors.
Transparent Mining Licensing
The Minerals Commission CEO said Ghana’s licensing framework was designed to provide transparency and certainty to prospective investors.
“There is security of tenure over mining titles, with the right to pledge and alienate them freely. There is also a transparent application process that ensures a first-come, first-served procedure,” he stated.
Mr Tandoh stressed, however, that investment protection must go hand in hand with Ghana securing greater economic value from its mineral resources.
Ghana Pushes Value Addition
He said the country’s new mining approach would focus increasingly on ensuring that mineral extraction generates economic opportunities beyond the production and export of raw minerals.
This includes creating jobs, developing local skills, expanding economic opportunities and improving livelihoods in mining communities and across the broader economy.
Ghana is consequently seeking strategic partnerships capable of strengthening the contribution of mineral resources to sustainable national development.
Ghana Showcases Mineral Wealth in China
The Ghana Day event formed a major part of the country’s participation in the 2026 China Mining Conference in Tianjin and provided a platform to showcase its geological potential, investment opportunities and evolving mining policy.
The programme focused on three key pillars — geology, value addition and investment partnerships.
Officials from the Ghana Geological Survey Authority and the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation also made presentations on the country’s geological endowment and opportunities within the minerals sector.
Ghana’s message to international investors was that the country remained open to mining investment, but future exploitation of its mineral wealth must deliver greater economic value to the country while providing investors with secure and commercially viable returns.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/capitalnewsonline.com
