A prominent Ghanaian lawyer is calling on the government to clear up any doubts about possible conflict of interest in the takeover of Damang Mines.
Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers says the real issue is not which company won the bid, but whether the entire process was fair, transparent and free from outside influence.
Engineers and Planners scored a very high 93.15 percent in the evaluation, but that score alone is not enough, he argues.
Speaking on radio, Brako-Powers stressed that public assets like mining concessions must follow strict rules of openness and fair competition because they belong to the whole country.
He pointed out that the involvement of Ibrahim Mahama – brother of former President John Dramani Mahama – in the winning company naturally raises questions in people’s minds.
“In law, how things look matters almost as much as what actually happened,” he explained.
Even without proof of wrongdoing, the appearance of political connections can shake public trust.
He wants the government to answer key questions: Was there any direct or indirect political pressure? Were all bidders given the same chance? Were the evaluation rules applied the same way to everyone?If these concerns are not handled properly, the lawyer warned, losing companies could take the matter to court and ordinary Ghanaians could lose faith in how the country’s natural resources are managed.
To fix this, Brako-Powers is urging the government to do three simple things before making any final decision:Publish the full evaluation report so everyone can see it. Bring in independent auditors or overseers to check the process. Give a clear, public explanation of exactly how and why the winning bid was chosen.
He says the final decision must meet the highest standards of accountability set out in Ghana’s constitution. Only then can people be sure the deal truly serves the national interest rather than any private or political agenda.
The government is expected to base its decision on a report from the Lands Ministry’s Tender Review Committee. Brako-Powers believes acting quickly and openly now will protect the integrity of the process and avoid bigger problems later.