Ghanaian tycoon Ibrahim Mahama pledges to build Astroturfs across Damang after taking over the mine

Ibrahim Mahama is promising Astroturfs for communities across Damang, and he made the commitment in front of the very people he is pledging to serve.

The Engineers and Planners CEO made the announcement on Saturday at the formal handover ceremony for the Damang Mine. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, led by Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, transferred the Damang concession to E&P on April 18 following the company's successful bid. E&P will manage the mine for a defined period under its agreement with the Ghanaian government.

Mahama said a young man from the area sent him a message asking him to build Astroturfs across Damang's communities. He did not brush it off. He announced the pledge publicly, on the spot.

"I got a text from one of our young men here saying we should build Astroturfs for all the communities, which we are looking to do," Mahama told the crowd.

He said he has already initiated steps toward the infrastructure. No timeline or specific community locations were disclosed at the event, but the public nature of the commitment carries weight.

Mahama framed the pledge around a broader principle. "I just want us to invest in ourselves in this country," he said. He also called on residents to back his vision and get behind the development plans he has in motion for Damang.

Mahama was direct about the scale of his ambitions. "The plan I have for Damang is not a joke," he said, urging the community to see the mine takeover as the beginning of something larger.

"If we all put our minds together, this is a success story," he added.

The Damang Mine, located in Ghana's Western Region, is a gold mining asset that has passed through several operators. E&P's takeover marks a new chapter, and Mahama appears intent on connecting the company's commercial presence to visible community impact. The Astroturf pledge is the first concrete signal of that intent.