The Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority, Simon Madjie, has called for policymakers to treat Ghanaian mining firm Engineers and Planners as a working example of how indigenous companies can move beyond contracting roles to full ownership of mining operations. Madjie made these comments on Joy News' PM Express Business Edition on 8 October 2026. He emphasized that Ghanaian firms should stop being mere contractors in mining and start owning real stakes.
Madjie pointed to Engineers and Planners specifically, noting that the company had served as a contractor to several larger mining firms over the years, building capacity along the value chain to the point where it can now own and operate mines in its own right. He described the firm's trajectory as the model Ghana should replicate to build local mining giants. This approach could also benefit other sectors of the economy.
According to Madjie, the government remains committed to helping every Ghanaian business owner secure a stake in critical sectors of the economy. The push for greater indigenous participation in mining should not be read as hostility toward foreign investors. The objective is to help Ghanaian firms grow to the point where they can compete internationally, while foreign investors continue to be welcomed.
Madjie's comments come at a time when Ghana's draft mining bill is already the subject of debate, particularly over provisions giving the state a free special share in mining companies. The Chamber of Mines has clarified that this special share power is not a new invention of the current bill but traces back to 2006 under Act 703, the Minerals and Mining Act.
For ordinary Ghanaians, the push for local ownership in mining touches on jobs, profit retention, and who ultimately benefits from the country's mineral wealth. Mining remains one of Ghana's largest foreign exchange earners, and local content policy has for years aimed at ensuring more of that value stays with Ghanaian companies and workers rather than flowing out through foreign-owned operators.
If firms like Engineers and Planners can indeed move from contractor to owner, GIPA's argument is that more Ghanaian jobs, skills, and capital could be retained within the sector over time. This would be a significant step towards achieving the goals of local content policy in the mining sector.
The sources do not indicate any new policy announcement, legislative timeline, or specific government programme tied directly to Madjie's remarks. It remains unclear how, or whether, his call for using Engineers and Planners as a template will translate into concrete reforms beyond the existing local content framework and the mining bill currently under discussion.
Key points
- Engineers and Planners serves as a model for Ghanaian firms to move beyond contracting roles to full ownership of mining operations.
- The government aims to help Ghanaian firms grow and compete internationally while welcoming foreign investors.
- The push for local ownership in mining touches on jobs, profit retention, and who benefits from Ghana's mineral wealth.
