The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) has firmly refuted reports circulating in sections of the media that the Government of Ghana has cancelled a $1.2 billion bauxite lease previously awarded to Rocksure International, a local mining company.
The Ministry describes the claims as “false, baseless, and misleading.”
In a strongly worded statement issued by the Ministry’s Director of Communications, Ama Mawusi Mawuenyefia, the government clarified that no valid bauxite lease existed between the state and Rocksure International in the first place — making cancellation an impossibility.
According to the Ministry, the lease in question, along with several others, had not been ratified by the 8th Parliament of Ghana before its dissolution on 6th January 2025.
The Supreme Court’s 2019 ruling requires all mineral leases to receive parliamentary ratification to be valid.
Therefore, any lease not meeting that standard is considered null and void under Ghanaian law.
The Ministry also challenged the reported $1.2 billion valuation attached to the alleged lease, describing it as “unsubstantiated and grossly misleading.”
It emphasized that no official valuation has been made regarding either the project or the mineral deposits.
The figure, it added, appears to be a distortion meant to provoke public discontent.
“This circulation of inaccurate information risks undermining investor confidence and Ghana’s credibility as a secure and attractive investment destination,” the statement said.
In addressing the broader context of Ghana’s bauxite strategy, the Ministry reiterated the central role of the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) in executing the country’s integrated aluminium industry agenda.
Established by law, GIADEC is responsible for securing financing, commercializing Ghana’s bauxite resources, and implementing key infrastructure projects such as the Western Railway Network and the Takoradi Port Expansion.
GIADEC’s mandate also includes the development of an alumina refinery, a new aluminium smelter, and the retrofitting of the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) for greater efficiency.
The Ministry further criticized the media reports for lacking credibility, noting that they referenced unnamed sources and admitted that all principal stakeholders — including the Ministry itself, GIADEC, and Rocksure International — declined to comment.
“These are not the standards of responsible journalism,” the Ministry noted, calling on the public to disregard the reports, which it described as calculated attempts to malign the Ministry and sabotage the government’s strategic vision.
The statement reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the realization of President John Mahama’s vision of making Ghana Africa’s leading integrated aluminium hub.
“We remain focused on building a robust and value-driven aluminium industry that will benefit generations of Ghanaians,” the Ministry concluded.
