As Ghana positions itself as a major player in the global lithium mining industry, communities in the mining area earmarked for resettlement have been advised to take practical lessons from mining-induced resettled communities affected by past mining projects.

This was the overarching message from Mr. Robert Tanti Ali, Executive Director of the Center for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS), in an interview on Kobbes FM, a popular radio station in the Mfantsiman Municipality.

Citing Article 20 (2) of the 1992 constitution and the Mining and Minerals Act (Act 703), he outlined the communities' legal entitlements during resettlement. According to him, people must be compensated adequately to maintain the same standard of living, if not an improved one. Both economic and cultural losses must be accounted for through livelihood programs, land offsets, and aid for reestablishing social networks.

In addition, he stated that, according to the Minerals and Mining (Compensation and Resettlement) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2175), when the inhabitants of a community are affected by a mining lease operation, the mining company is required to resettle community members to a suitable place that upholds the socio-cultural and economic welfare of the affected persons. This is to be done to improve livelihoods and living standards.

As lithium mining is new in Ghana, Mr. Ali recommended that communities negotiate robust terms informed by the hard-learned lessons of past mining communities.

"We cannot allow the same human rights violations, loss of lands and livelihoods, and broken promises that have marred so many mining resettlements across Ghana," stated Mr. Ali, whose organization has documented widespread injustices faced by resettled communities.

Ghana’s government recently approved its first lithium mine operated by a subsidiary of an Australian-based company, Atlantic Lithium Limited. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources granted the company a 15-year lease on the mine at Ewoyaa, on Ghana’s southern coast, where the company has been exploring for almost seven years. Ghana seeks to play a major role in producing components for electric car batteries, which are in high demand recently.

As part of the Power of Our Voices Project (PVP), CeSIS recently launched a report on community experiences with mining-induced resettlement and compensation, highlighting the challenges host communities face after the process.