The Media Coalition for Good Governance (MCGG) has publicly endorsed the government’s decision to award the Damang Mining Lease to Engineers and Planners Ltd (E&P), describing the outcome as a credible result of a transparent and competitive procurement process.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the coalition commended the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for upholding the recommendations of a specialised Tender Committee, which evaluated four bids submitted before the March 31, 2026 deadline. The committee was constituted under Regulation 261 of the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (LI 2176).
According to the committee’s report, E&P was the only bidder to fully satisfy the financial requirements of the tender, providing documented evidence of access to financing that exceeded the minimum threshold of USD 500 million. Two of the four companies Maripoma Mining Services Ltd and Vortex Resources Mining Group were disqualified at the mandatory compliance stage for failing to submit complete tax, Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), and value added tax (VAT) clearances.
The remaining contender, Heath Goldfields Ltd, advanced to the technical evaluation phase but failed to reach the minimum qualifying score of 80 percent, eliminating it before the financial assessment.
E&P proceeded through both phases and, in the committee’s assessment, demonstrated the strongest combination of financial capacity, technical knowledge of the Damang Mine’s geology and infrastructure, and a credible long-term operational plan.
The MCGG framed the award as a meaningful step toward deeper Ghanaian participation in the extractive sector. “By selecting a competent indigenous company that meets international financing and operational standards, the state has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting local content, economic resilience, and long-term industrial sustainability,” the coalition stated.
The Minerals Commission has been directed to complete all remaining regulatory processes to formalise the lease, which is expected to cover at least a ten-year operational period.
The endorsement arrives as the award draws scrutiny from other quarters. The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) has questioned the speed of ministerial approval, with its Country Manager Patrick Stephenson noting that the minister’s sign-off came within approximately two hours of the committee submitting its report. Stephenson called for the full assessment to be published to allow independent verification of the process.
The parliamentary minority has separately announced its intention to petition the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), citing concerns about a potential conflict of interest arising from E&P owner Ibrahim Mahama’s relationship to President John Dramani Mahama.
Gold Fields is scheduled to formally transfer operational control of the Damang Mine to the government on April 18, 2026.
