Focus on capacity, not connections in Damang lease decision – Paa Kwesi Schandorf

The Media Relations Officer at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Paa Kwesi Schandorf has called for a shift in public discourse surrounding the award of the Damang Mining Lease to Engineers and Planners Ltd (E&P), urging stakeholders to prioritise the company’s technical and financial capacity over concerns about political connections.

Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning, Mr Schandorf stressed that the central issue should be whether E&P has the demonstrable ability to successfully manage and sustain operations at the Damang Mine, rather than the familial ties between the company’s owner and President John Dramani Mahama.

His comments follow the Ministry’s recent approval of the Damang Mining Lease to E&P, after what officials described as a rigorous and competitive bidding process.

In a press release issued on April 7, 2026, the sector minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, confirmed that he had upheld the recommendations of a specialised Tender Committee, which identified E&P as the most capable entity to extend the life of the mine beyond the next decade.

The decision has, however, generated public debate, particularly in light of the fact that E&P is owned by the President’s brother.

Addressing this directly, Mr Schandorf acknowledged the connection but cautioned against allowing it to dominate the conversation.

“E&P is owned by the President’s brother—that is incontrovertibly true,” he said. “But a more important conversation that ought to be had is whether or not E&P has the demonstrable capacity to take over the mine.”

He warned that an excessive focus on familial ties could obscure more substantive considerations and potentially undermine the broader interests of the mining sector and the national economy.

“Because if you dwell, forgive my use of the word, but if you dwell excessively on the familial ties between the owner of the firm and the President, perhaps at the end of the day you may be doing a great disservice—not only to the life of the mine, but indeed maybe even the employees of the company and the whole space in question,” he stated.

According to him, the long-term sustainability of the Damang Mine should be the overriding concern, with emphasis placed on the operator’s ability to invest, manage resources efficiently, and maintain production over the lease period.

“Because you are looking for sustainability, you are looking for who has what it takes to run the mine, I mean, for the period that is allowed, and invest properly in a way that would, at the end of the day, benefit the economy,” he added.

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