Paper short abstract:

An investigation of ongoing resettlement effort by Atlantic Lithium in Ghana. The firm's approach provides inadequate cash compensation against explicit preference for land-based resettlement with potential to impoverish farmers, questioning the "justness" of energy transition fueling lithium mining

Paper long abstract:

The discovery of lithium in Ghana in 2017 has brought international attention to the country and raised yet another hope of soon to emerge economic pole that will contribute to economic transformation and sustainable development. Subsequently, the Government of Ghana has approved its maiden ‘green minerals’ policy and signed a 15yr lease agreement with an Australian company. The establishment of the lithium mine requires resettlement of inhabitants, raised concerns about the approach in resettling affected inhabitants. Key question that begs for answer and provided guidance for this study is whether Ghana’s premier lithium mine will also impoverish farmers. The study investigated ongoing resettlement efforts by Atlantic Lithium with view of establishing if the lithium mine-induced resettlement will impoverish farmers.

Using qualitative analytical methods and primary data obtained through interviews and focused group discussion, it was found that Atlantic Lithium’s resettlement approach is consistent with precedents in gold mining sites where mining companies provide inadequate cash compensation for farms against explicit farmer preference for land-based resettlement to enable affected farmers continue with their farming activities. This approach has the potential of worsening the plights of affected farmers within a few years of time and perpetuating an injustice and exposing an unjust extraction of so-called green minerals, questioning the “justness” of energy transition that is fueling extraction of green minerals. The paper recommends that the government ensures that some amount of land for farming is included in the compensation package for farms that must be destroyed to pave way for the mine.