The government has begun steps to transfer ownership of the Damang Gold Mine from Gold Fields Ltd. to Engineers and Planners Ltd., as the current mining lease nears its expiration later this month, according to people familiar with the matter.
Engineers and Planners is, so far, the only company to have demonstrated both the technical capability and financial capacity required to take over operations at the site, the people said.
On Wednesday, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah led members of Parliament’s Select Committee on Lands and Natural Resources on a visit to the Damang mine to assess operational readiness ahead of the planned transition. The visit is part of broader parliamentary oversight efforts aimed at ensuring a smooth handover before the April 18 expiration of Gold Fields’ lease.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources on March 28 formally opened a tender process for the lease and operation of the mine, requiring a nonrefundable application fee of 100,000 Ghanaian cedis (about $X). Bids were due by 4 p.m. on March 31.
Source:TheDotNews