Although, the current administration is doing well on agriculture and infrastructure policy fronts, the lack of integrated sustainability policy roadmaps, including those described in the ‘National Development Plan’ (NDP), makes the Government’s sustainability agenda very weak. With Agenda 2030 just 11 years away, one may wonder how Ghana can achieve its commitment for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly, SGD 1(No Poverty). Ghana currently ranks 101 out of 156 countries in the world progress on the SDGs, with major weaknesses and knowledge gaps on SDGs awareness, including lack of mechanisms integrating businesses and government institutions SDGs  thinking. Though, there are established bodies and many media coverage on SDGs related topics, current sustainability policies pitch and programmes tends to be “ad-hoc and disjointed”. A case in point reflect the fight against galamsey, with persisting policy bottlenecks warranting win-win scenarios. In spite of a prior moratorium and anti-galamsey taskforce, the lack of integrated land-use policy and strategies continue to impact the natural environment, livelihoods, whilst profiting a very few.

Making a Sustainability Case: Chinese Dollars versus Ghana’s Raw Minerals

In effect, discourses ensuing the ‘Ghana beyond Aid’ and ‘One-District-One-Factory’ present an interesting case to explore further. While an industrialisation element remains positive and crucial for job creation, it somehow becomes laughable taking into account winners and losers within sustainability policy lens. A typical reflection echoes leveraging investment opportunities with countries such as China (acquisition of mines) to mine raw minerals, including rare metals such as: gold, bauxite, iron ore, diamond and manganese, - with insufficient and weak due diligence protocols that accounts for the natural environment and intergenerational equity. Yet, operational business models that could be guided by Sustainability Assessments or Strategic Impact Assessments are rarely well-thought-out.

In fact, Ghana seem to be sleeping, whilst watching its natural environment being destroyed, - with no strategy towards ‘safer sustainable communities and low-carbon economy’ in contractual agreements. Such policy gaps and weak regulatory frameworks, inevitably result environmental-health issues such as air pollution, theoretically leading to lung cancer; stroke; heart disease and costing the Ghana Health Service etc. Sadly, raw minerals haulage trucks plying 24/7 for exports are destroying major road infrastructure networks, including experiences of ethical and human rights abuse cases. Hence, considering the billions of Chinese dollars in loans eyeing Ghana’s natural resources, as well as, the growing foreign direct investment (FDIs) interests from Europe, US and other major multinationals companies such as Nissan, the challenge becomes:

• How should current and future FDI contract agreements look like?
• What could be an integrated value chain strategy, considering natural resources and strategy towards Agenda 2030 and beyond?

Potential Synergies within FDI Contracts

Now, let’s explore China’s transportation and energy polices and construe potential synergies to that of Ghana. To note, China’s appetite for Africa’s raw minerals (e.g. sourcing manganese in Ghana and Cobalt from Democratic Republic of Congo), aim to achieve a low-carbon economy and improve its national air quality, likewise, boosting its infrastructure, economic and global dominance on Electric Vehicles (EVs). These raw minerals that are exported are used manufacturing Lithium-Ion batteries powering EVs e.g. the Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) or Lithium manganese oxide (LMO) cathode chemistries. Recent studies also shows EV batteries carry sufficient charge for use in further applications after end-of-first-life (usually after eight years), as it typically retains 80% of original manufactured energy storage capacity when deemed unsuitable to meet EV standards. After end-of-first-life, these used batteries can have second-life use, and could be used in other applications such as energy storage systems (for a number of year). The question is, ‘what could be potential trade-offs and synergies for a country such as Ghana, receiving its fair share vis-à-vis from its own raw minerals end products’?  In other words, can there be synergies from e.g. NMCs or LMO batteries for energy storage systems, - to help address societal challenges such as ‘dumsor’ (persistent, irregular, and random electric power outage) and aiming towards a low-carbon economy?

At present, the potential to maximise solar energy usage globally has been stymied by storage batteries technologies and are too expensive. The good news is, with solar panels, solar energy is abundant all day in Ghana and many African countries, thus, making energy storage capacity vital providing a continuous supply of electricity to the national grid, individual homes and businesses. Crucially, this evolving energy storage technology could offset rising energy costs, address climate change and energy poverty issues, whilst consumers enjoying the added security of an enviable and available backup energy supply during power outages. Besides, government including consumers can fully realize their commitment to sustainability/SDGs – whilst working towards energy independence.

Harnessing SDGs within Value Chains   

An integrated value chain strategy, can ensure local/onsite products manufacturing and processing of raw minerals, - emphasizing the use of proven cleaner production technologies rooted within the universal principles in agreements. In this China versus Ghana’s raw minerals scenario, many SDGs could be harnessed, in particular: SDG 3 (ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being at all ages); SDG 7 (ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable modern energy); SDG 13 (combating climate change and its impacts) and SDG 8 (promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work). Additionally, contract agreement could aim addressing SDG 9 (empowering communities and promoting sustainable industrialization and foster innovation) and SDG 17 (revitalizing global partnership for sustainable development). Thus, such integrated sustainability policy vison should mirror an overall raw minerals product value chain thinking, as it appears missing from current business models.

Bringing it all together

From an integrated sustainability policy point of view, Ghana should do more stimulating the achievement of SDGs by 2030. Now it's up to the government institutions and politicians to heed the call, ensuring effective collaboration with businesses, civil societies and experts. Such collaboration should aim designing plausible, coherent and cross-sectorial policy frameworks with citizens in mind as opposed to self-interests. In moving forward, the following could be reflected upon:

• A review of the National Planning Framework (NFP) – mapping and integrating many of Ghana’s sustainability issues, including an industrial & infrastructural strategy with SDGs interplay. This should be firm-up via regulatory/legislative policy instruments.
• Embracing horizontal sectoral policy and bottom-up concepts in policy-making, - looking to tackle the conflicting objectives of the different sectors, departments and professions.
• Partisan politics that sees political parties ‘politicizing’ and ‘abandoning’ worthy programs of opposing parties when in power should be discouraged, but rather promote continuity.
• Sustainability agenda shouldn’t only be urban/Accra focused, but reflect the entire regions and localities in Ghana, in particular, communities that are impacted most from projects.
• More robust interdisciplinary research that integrates both sustainability and future sciences, accounting for intergenerational equity.

Ghana’s road to 2030 may seem far, but decisions taken now are crucial establishing a permanent value chain economies and industries, designed to harness sustainable communities and a low -carbon economy.