Ghanaian business tycoon praises former president Akufo-Addo’s intervention as local firm assumes control of major Western Region gold mine in landmark local ownership deal

Accra, Ghana – April 18, 2026 – Prominent Ghanaian businessman Ibrahim Mahama has publicly expressed gratitude to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his instrumental support in securing the successful takeover of the Damang Mine by his company, Engineers and Planners.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony held at the Damang Mine in the Western Region on Saturday, Mahama described the transition as the culmination of years of stakeholder engagement that began when Gold Fields Ghana Limited signalled its intention to wind down operations in 2022.

Government Intervention Key to Success

Mahama credited the former president with playing a decisive role in facilitating the deal.

“I went there, and I must thank our former President. He gave me a document to sit with Gold Fields, negotiate, and keep the mine going,” he stated during the ceremony.

He explained that government facilitation enabled structured negotiations between the parties, leading to a formal agreement that followed all regulatory and licensing processes. The takeover followed a competitive bidding process after the expiration of Gold Fields’ lease, with Engineers and Planners emerging as the successful bidder under government supervision.

Mahama emphasised that the acquisition goes beyond a simple commercial transaction.

“So I engaged the government and told them that mining is not just buying equipment and working in there. It is the key people that you need to put together,” he said, highlighting the importance of building Ghanaian capacity in large-scale mining.

Ambitious Development Plans Unveiled

Before finalising the deal, Engineers and Planners conducted extensive technical and financial due diligence, including a bankable feasibility study. Mahama revealed strong financial backing from banks.

“We did a bankable study. We looked at it and noticed that we could do it. We approached a few of the banks in here. One has given us 650 million, another 600 million,” he disclosed.

The company has outlined bold long-term plans to transform the Damang Mine and surrounding communities:

• Construction of a new airport at the mine site, expected within six months, to enable direct flights to Accra.
• Development of a high-quality concrete or asphalt road linking Damang to Cape Coast within two years.
• Reinvestment of mine revenues into local infrastructure, including hospitals and sports facilities.
• Mahama’s personal commitment to build his own residence in the area as a symbol of long-term dedication to the community.

“What I want to say is that whatever money we make from here, we will reinvest it here,” he pledged.

Significance for Ghana’s Mining Sector

The Damang Mine takeover represents a significant milestone in Ghana’s push for greater local participation in its critical mining industry. It demonstrates growing confidence in indigenous Ghanaian companies to manage complex, large-scale gold mining operations previously dominated by multinational firms.

This development comes at a time when Ghana continues to strengthen its position as one of Africa’s leading gold producers while emphasising local content and community development in the extractive sector.

Atlanta, USA – A young Black inventor from Atlanta, Julian Brown, has stunned the scientific community and gone viral worldwide after developing a backyard process that converts everyday plastic waste into usable diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel.

Born in Tennessee and raised in Atlanta, Brown — a self-taught welder with no formal degree or laboratory — created a system called “Plastoline.”

Using an upgraded form of pyrolysis (a thermal decomposition process), enhanced with microwaves and solar energy for cleaner conversion, he built a small reactor capable of turning discarded plastics back into high-quality fuel.

Independent tests reportedly confirmed that the diesel and gasoline produced are among the most refined seen, and he has successfully powered vehicles with the fuel in live demonstrations.

Brown launched a startup called Nature Jab and began sharing his experiments on Instagram and TikTok, where the videos quickly gained millions of views globally. Despite suffering second-degree burns in a reactor explosion, he refused to abandon the project.

He attempted to raise $1 million to scale the technology but secured only tens of thousands of dollars. In July 2025, he posted that he was under attack before temporarily vanishing from public view.

He has since re-emerged, with supporters calling for his protection and greater investment in his work.

The innovation has sparked particular excitement across Africa, where plastic waste accumulates in massive quantities in landfills and communities.

Experts say Brown’s technology could offer a practical solution for turning waste into energy, addressing both environmental pollution and fuel shortages on the continent.

Commentators have criticised the lack of substantial support from investors and the broader community, questioning why a breakthrough with such transformative potential, especially from a young Black inventor, has not received wider backing.

Accra, Ghana – MTN Group is exploring significant investments in data centers in Ghana as Part of its digital push.

The telecoms giant says the move is a natural extension of its broader digital infrastructure strategy in one of its most important African markets.

Group Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita made the announcement during a strategic visit to Ghana at the beginning of 2026. He said the company is keen to partner with both public and private stakeholders to develop large-scale data centers that would enhance cloud computing, data storage, and digital service capabilities across the country.

Mupita stated that such facilities are critical to supporting Ghana’s long-term digital transformation and economic growth.

He acknowledged, however, that establishing world-class data centers would require addressing key infrastructure challenges, particularly reliable power supply, suitable land, and advanced cooling systems. MTN is therefore considering collaborative models to ensure projects meet both commercial viability and sustainability standards.

During his engagements, Mupita held discussions with MTN Ghana’s leadership, regulators, and senior government officials, including the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam George.

He described Ghana as a priority market that “feels like home” and reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to deepening investments in digital infrastructure and financial inclusion.

On the fintech front, Mupita highlighted plans to expand mobile money services while working closely with the central bank to strengthen fraud prevention through artificial intelligence.

The visit underscored MTN’s ambition to remain a key partner in Ghana’s digital economy, driving innovation, job creation, and inclusive growth.

MTN Ghana (Scancom PLC) is the dominant telecommunications market leader in Ghana and has been recognized as a top-performing operation within the MTN Group. The company is actively shifting from a traditional telco to a technology platform company, with a focus on fintech (Mobile Money) and digital inclusion.