- E&P Can Operate Damang and Tarkwa With World-Class Management — Franklin Cudjoe
President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has backed the capacity of Engineers & Planners to own and operate the Damang and Tarkwa mines, arguing that the Ghanaian-owned company has demonstrated sufficient competence in mine operations.
His comments come amid renewed public debate over Ghanaian participation in the ownership and operation of strategic mining assets, particularly following developments around the future of the Damang mine.
According to Mr Cudjoe, E&P has already shown operational capacity at Damang and should not be dismissed merely because it is a local company.
“E&P is competent to operate Damang. They have been doing so for many years. With world-class management, E&P will do well. E&P can do same with Tarkwa,” he said.
His remarks add a strong local-content dimension to the ongoing debate over Ghana’s mining sector, where questions of ownership, technical competence, capital strength, governance and national benefit continue to dominate policy discussions.
For Mr Cudjoe, the issue is not simply whether a company is foreign or Ghanaian, but whether it has the ability to operate efficiently, meet regulatory obligations and deliver value to the country.
That position is likely to strengthen calls for Ghana to deepen domestic participation in large-scale mining without compromising technical standards, environmental responsibility or investor confidence.
The Damang and Tarkwa mines are among Ghana’s important gold assets, and any conversation about their ownership or operation carries significant economic, fiscal and employment implications.
Mining remains one of Ghana’s largest sources of export revenue, foreign exchange inflows, tax receipts and direct investment.
However, the sector has also faced longstanding criticism over limited local ownership, profit repatriation, weak domestic value retention and the slow pace of Ghanaian participation in high-value segments of the mining value chain.
Against this background, Mr Cudjoe’s endorsement of E&P speaks directly to a larger question: whether Ghanaian companies can be trusted and supported to operate major mining assets when they have the required experience and management depth.
Supporters of stronger local participation argue that Ghana cannot continue to rely almost entirely on foreign operators in a sector that has been central to the economy for decades.
They contend that local ownership can improve domestic value retention, create stronger supplier linkages, deepen skills development and expand Ghanaian control over strategic natural resources.
But critics often caution that mining is capital intensive, technically demanding and environmentally sensitive.
They argue that any local operator must be held to the same standards expected of multinational firms, particularly in areas such as mine planning, occupational safety, environmental management, capital investment, community relations and regulatory compliance.
Mr Cudjoe’s position appears to fall between both arguments.
He is not calling for competence to be ignored in the name of local ownership. Rather, he is arguing that E&P has demonstrated operational ability and can perform well if supported with world-class management systems.
That distinction is important.
Ghana’s resource-sovereignty debate will not be won by sentiment alone. It will depend on whether local companies can combine ownership with technical excellence, transparent governance, sound financing and responsible environmental stewardship.
If E&P is to operate or own major mining assets such as Damang or Tarkwa, the company will be expected to demonstrate clear capacity in production management, mine safety, environmental restoration, community engagement and long-term investment planning.
Regulators will also be expected to ensure that any transfer, lease arrangement or operational mandate protects the public interest, preserves jobs, safeguards state revenue and maintains Ghana’s reputation as a credible mining jurisdiction.
The debate also comes at a time when government is under pressure to secure greater value from the mining sector.
Recent policy discussions have focused on lease renewals, fiscal terms, local content, royalties, community benefits and the need to retain more value from gold production within the domestic economy.
In that context, the argument that a Ghanaian-owned firm can operate strategic assets successfully is likely to resonate with sections of the public.
However, the ultimate test will be performance, not nationality.
If local operators deliver strong production outcomes, meet environmental standards, pay taxes, support communities and invest in long-term mine development, they will strengthen the case for deeper Ghanaian participation.
If they fail, they risk reinforcing old doubts about whether local firms can manage large-scale mining assets at world-class levels.
For Ghana, the bigger policy challenge is to build a mining sector where local ownership and global standards are not treated as opposing objectives.
The country needs Ghanaian companies that are technically strong, financially disciplined, environmentally responsible and globally competitive.
Mr Cudjoe’s comments therefore shift the conversation from whether Ghanaian firms should participate in major mining assets to whether competent local firms should be given fair opportunity to do so.
