The Minerals Commission has strongly dismissed claims of bias in the awarding of the Damang mining lease to Engineers and Planners Limited (E&P), asserting that the entire process was conducted in a transparent and competitive manner in line with regulatory requirements.
The lease decision has attracted public scrutiny in recent days, with some stakeholders raising concerns about the fairness of the selection process. However, the Commission maintains that strict procedures were followed and that the outcome reflected merit rather than influence.
Providing clarity on the matter, the Acting Director of Legal Affairs at the Minerals Commission, Josef Iroko, revealed that four companies participated in the bidding process, which was opened to qualified firms under a competitive tender system.
He explained that following a comprehensive evaluation, E&P stood out as the only bidder that met all the stipulated technical, financial, and regulatory criteria outlined in the tender requirements.
According to Mr Iroko, each submission underwent a rigorous assessment based on clearly defined benchmarks, including financial strength, technical capability, operational strategy, and adherence to Ghana’s mining laws.
He stressed that the evaluation framework was designed to ensure fairness and objectivity, allowing only fully compliant applicants to progress.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News on Tuesday, April 7, Mr Iroko addressed concerns about possible favouritism, insisting that the process was impartial.
“The committee went into this work without regard to anybody’s last name, that is the first thing I want to raise. Then secondly, the committee was guided by the Tender Notice Guidelines published by the minister as per regulation 258 of the Minerals and Mining Licensing Regulation 2012, L.I 217.
“So the process has been outlined in the regulations. So the minister published the notice and then told the whole world as to the criteria that any bidder must meet.”
Mr. Iroko further assured the public that it remains committed to upholding integrity in the management of Ghana’s mineral resources, adding that all decisions will continue to be guided by law and due process.
