The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has approved Engineers and Planners Ltd as the winner of the Damang Mining Lease tender, following a competitive bidding process involving four companies.
Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah confirmed the decision in a press release on April 7, 2026, upholding the recommendation of the Minerals Commission’s Tender Committee. The process was conducted under Regulations 261, 262, and 263 of the Minerals and Mining (Licensing) Regulations, 2012 (LI 2176).
“Pursuant to Regulations 262(1)(b) and 263 of LI 2176, the Commission has recommended that the Damang Mining Lease be granted to Engineers and Planners Ltd, determined by the Tender Committee as the successful tenderer,” the statement read. “This recommendation has been approved by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, with a further directive to the Commission to take all the requisite regulatory steps to give effect to the approval.”
Four Bids, Two Disqualified Immediately
Four companies submitted tenders by the March 31, 2026 deadline: Vortex Resources Mining Group, Engineers and Planners Ltd, Heath Goldfields Ltd, and Maripoma Mining Services Ltd.
The evaluation followed a two-phase structure. In the first phase, tenders were checked against mandatory requirements, including proof of Ghanaian ownership, valid tax and SSNIT clearance certificates, VAT clearance, certificate of incorporation, and payment of a GHS 100,000 application fee.
Only Engineers and Planners Ltd and Heath Goldfields Ltd met these requirements. Maripoma Mining Services Ltd and Vortex Resources Mining Group were disqualified for failing to submit the required documents.
Technical Evaluation Eliminates Final Competitor
The two responsive tenders proceeded to technical and financial evaluation. Heath Goldfields Ltd failed to achieve the minimum qualifying score of 80 percent, so its financial proposal was not evaluated.
According to the Ministry, Engineers and Planners Ltd satisfied all mandatory requirements and provided documentary evidence of access to financing exceeding the USD 500 million minimum threshold. The company also demonstrated relevant experience with the Damang Mine’s operations, infrastructure, and geology, and submitted proposals to extend the mine’s life beyond ten years.
“On the basis of the applicable evaluation criteria and scoring, the tender submitted by Engineers and Planners Ltd attained the highest evaluated score,” the Ministry stated. “In summary, the Company demonstrated the highest capability to operate the Damang mine, substantiated by their submission of the most viable tender.”
Next Steps
The Ministry commended the Minerals Commission and the Tender Committee for their dedication to the national assignment and reiterated the government’s commitment to the Damang Mine’s continued contribution to Ghana’s economy.
The Minerals Commission has been directed to take all necessary regulatory steps to implement the approval.
