Lands Minister responds to Franklin Cudjoe over Azumah-E&P dispute

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has stated that his intervention helped resolve the dispute between Azumah Resources Ghana Limited and Engineers & Planners (E&P), adding that he is not aware of any ongoing arbitration proceedings between the two companies.

The Minister made the clarification in response to a public inquiry by policy analyst and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, who questioned the status of the disagreement between the two mining companies.

In a statement addressed to Mr Cudjoe, the Minister said, “I can confirm that my intervention led to a resolution of the matter and the settlement that followed. I am not aware of any arbitration dispute between the parties.”

Mr Cudjoe had earlier urged the Minister to intervene after reports suggesting that Azumah Resources and E&P had resorted to international arbitration over disagreements relating to the Black Volta Gold Project.

He expressed concerns that the development could undermine confidence in Ghana’s mining sector and called for a fair resolution that protects the interests of all parties.

The Lands Minister’s response indicates that, from his perspective, the matter was resolved following engagements between the parties, although no further details were provided on the terms of the settlement.

Azumah Resources Ghana Limited and Engineers & Planners have both been involved in the development of the Black Volta Gold Project in the Upper West Region, a mining venture that has attracted significant attention due to its potential contribution to Ghana’s gold production.