Parliament withdrew the revised Ewoyaa lithium mining lease on Wednesday, December 11, 2025, to allow additional consultations on Ghana’s mining code and royalty applications, marking another setback for what would become the country’s first lithium mine.
Atlantic Lithium confirmed the temporary withdrawal through a statement released the same day. The company noted that Parliament suspended consideration of the mining lease to conduct broader reviews of Ghana’s regulatory framework for critical minerals. The announcement came one month after Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah laid the renegotiated agreement before Parliament on November 11, 2025.
The mining lease withdrawal affects Atlantic Lithium’s flagship Ewoyaa Lithium Project located approximately 100 kilometers southwest of Accra in the Central Region. The project was originally granted a mining lease in October 2023 but has remained unratified for over two years due to disputes over commercial terms and falling global lithium prices. The company secured environmental permits and mine operating permits in 2024 but requires parliamentary ratification before proceeding to construction.
Atlantic Lithium stated it remains in discussions with government regarding the best way forward to deliver upon Ghana’s critical minerals objectives. The company expressed confidence that ratification will be forthcoming in accordance with due parliamentary process. Finance Director and Company Secretary Amanda Harsas authorized the announcement for release to the London Stock Exchange, Australian Securities Exchange, and Ghana Stock Exchange.
The withdrawal follows intense public debate over revised fiscal terms in the agreement. Government negotiators reduced the royalty rate from 10 percent to 5 percent after global lithium prices collapsed from approximately 3,000 dollars per tonne in 2023 to around 900 dollars per tonne currently. Atlantic Lithium requested the adjustment citing project viability concerns under depressed market conditions.
Civil society organizations including IMANI Africa challenged the royalty reduction as contrary to national interests. The policy think tank argued in November 2025 that independent financial modeling shows the project remains highly profitable at current prices. IMANI calculated the royalty cut transfers approximately 17.5 million dollars annually from state revenues to company shareholders. The Progressive Alliance of Ghana also urged Parliament to reject the agreement, describing the terms as insufficient for 2025 Ghana.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands, Forestry and Mines had begun reviewing the agreement after receiving it on November 14, 2025. The committee advertised the document and invited public submissions from civil society organizations, industry experts, and researchers. Former Lands and Natural Resources Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor publicly criticized the revised terms as less favorable than the agreement his administration negotiated in 2023.
Traditional leaders in affected communities expressed frustration over the prolonged delays. The Paramount Chief of the Nkusukum Traditional Area described the Ewoyaa project as hope for people in Mfantseman and Nkusukum, warning that delays worsen hardship and frustration. Communities including Ewoyaa, Amanse, Nankesedo, Anokye, Abonko and Twafo face land access restrictions and stalled compensation plans while awaiting final approval.
Atlantic Lithium laid off over 100 workers in November 2025 due to ratification delays, reducing its workforce from 167 to 62 employees. The company had planned to expand employment to approximately 900 workers during construction phases. Since 2016, Atlantic Lithium has invested approximately 70 million dollars into project development through its Ghanaian subsidiary Barari DV Ghana Limited.
The government secured a 19 percent equity stake in the project comprising 13 percent free carried interest and 6 percent through the Minerals Income Investment Fund. The revised agreement also includes provisions for Atlantic Lithium to conduct a feasibility study for potential port infrastructure at Saltpond within six months. The company trades on London’s Alternative Investment Market, the Australian Securities Exchange, and the Ghana Stock Exchange.
Parliament’s withdrawal provides opportunity for stakeholders to address concerns before reconsidering the mining lease. The decision reflects broader questions about Ghana’s approach to governing green minerals and critical resources needed for global energy transition. Atlantic Lithium stated it supports government commitment to securing paths toward delivering long term benefits for Ghana through mineral production.
