Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has cautioned against relying on mining as the foundation for the Upper East Region’s long-term development, urging leaders to use the region’s mineral wealth to create sustainable economic opportunities that will outlast resource extraction.
Speaking through a representative at the launch of the 10-Year PEARL Framework for the Upper East Region on Monday, June 29, Mr. Bagbin said the region’s mineral resources should become a catalyst for lasting prosperity rather than another example of the “resource curse.”
He stressed that the real challenge is not whether the Upper East possesses valuable mineral resources, but whether those resources can be transformed into permanent economic benefits for future generations.
According to him, mining should be viewed as a temporary opportunity rather than a long-term development strategy.
“The true wealth of this region will not ultimately be measured by the minerals extracted from beneath the soil, but by the enduring assets created above it, such as productive agriculture, thriving industries, resilient infrastructure, skilled citizens, vibrant enterprises and strong institutions,” he stated.
Mr. Bagbin warned that many resource-rich communities across the world have been left with degraded environments and weakened economies after mineral extraction ended, urging the Upper East Region to avoid a similar fate by investing mining revenues wisely.
He described the 10-Year PEARL Framework as a strategic blueprint capable of transforming temporary mineral wealth into lasting prosperity, adding that future generations should remember this era not for the minerals extracted, but for how those resources were used to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
