Community Engagement and Social Licence to Operate the Ewoyaa Lithium Mining Project, Ghana

Yaw Asamoah — 2026-04-08

The global push for renewable energy technologies has intensified lithium demand, positioning Ghana’s Ewoyaa Lithium Mining Project (ELMP) at the forefront of a lithium extraction hub. Whereas attention is often paid to the socio-economic and environmental impacts of such projects on local communities, the question of how traditional leaders of such indigenous communities permit mining companies into their space for extractive activities remains underexplored in Ghana. This study sought to understand how Atlantic Lithium Ltd. gained social acceptance to undertake the ELMP through the lens of the Social Licence to Operate theory. Using a qualitative case study design, the research purposively engaged 11 participants – traditional leaders, youth, women, and committee representatives. Strict ethical traditional community protocols were adhered to for data collection. Through group interviews, data were sourced and thematically analysed after transcription. Findings revealed that trust reposed in Atlantic Lithium Ltd. by community leaders has given the Company a social licence to operate the ELMP. Though community engagement was largely consultative rather than participatory, it was deemed to be of high-quality and procedurally fair. The community was optimistic about socio-economic impacts, but was sceptical about environmental concerns. The study recommends that the Government and the UN press upon mining multinationals to ensure that communities are participatorily engaged in key decision-making, regarding mineral resource extractions. Again, mining companies are mandated to comply with indigenous knowledge systems for ecological resource management purposes. Mining companies and local communities are to design workable policy documents to give preeminence to indigenes for recruitment into the mining companies.

The spatial patterns of diabetes mellitus in Ghana: A spatial autocorrelation technique

Felix Kofi Damte — 2026-05-12

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an emerging health problem worldwide, and low- and middle-income nations like Ghana carry a considerable load. However, DM spatial patterning in Ghana is largely under-researched, hence, effective interventions are difficult. This research analyses the spatial pattern of Type 1 (T1DM) and Type 2 (T2DM) diabetes in the Central Region of Ghana to identify DM clusters (hotspots and coldspots) for resource prioritization and management. A retrospective cross-sectional design was employed to examine 8,992 DM cases retrieved from thirteen (13) hospitals over the period 2008 - 2019. ’The results revealed substantial temporal and spatial heterogeneity in DM distribution. For T1DM, significant clustering varied annually, with persistent Low-Low clusters in southeastern MMDAs (e.g., Gomoa East) suggesting potential protective factors or under-diagnosis, and intermittent High-High clusters in urban centres like Cape Coast Metro, likely influenced by better healthcare access and urban lifestyles. The analysis for T2DM identified more stable patterns, with the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA) district consistently emerging as a significant Low-High outlier. Key hotspots for T2DM included KEEA, Cape Coast Metro, and Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira. The study highlights the uneven distribution of DM in the Central Region, emphasizing the role of spatial analysis in public health planning. By identifying high-risk areas, the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and analogous agency must implement can strategically focus screening programs, educational campaigns, and resource allocation in areas requiring intensive intervention.

Journal of Geographical Research & Report

Community Engagement and Social Licence to Operate the Ewoyaa Lithium Mining Project, Ghana

The spatial patterns of diabetes mellitus in Ghana: A spatial autocorrelation technique