Energy/Natural Resources

The Ghanaian landscape has changed substantially over the years leading to an influx of investors in the minerals and mining sector,

Since the launching of the Economic Recovery Programme in 1983, many policies and programmes have been introduced by the State to address problems facing the economy.

Beuxpieds Chambers has played and continues to play a very important role in the development of the mineral and mining sector of the country and the mining industry indeed, forms an integral part of the Firm’s practice.

The Firm undertakes the representation of clients at the Minerals Commission, and renders advice on Ghana’s mining laws and regulations, project planning and documentation at all stages.

It also assists in the procurement of reconnaissance, prospecting/exploration licences and mining leases from the Minerals Commission. Particularly, the firm participated in negotiating the mining lease for the second largest gold mining concern in Africa outside South Africa, and the Deed of Warranty, Conditions and Confirmation which spelt out various fiscal and tax incentives for the company.

The firm has also represented a major North American Mining Company in a joint venture with another mining concern to fund the exploration and development operations of various Ghanaian properties; advised an international financial institution on the purchase of over five million global depository shares in the largest gold mining company in Ghana and advised a syndicate of lenders on the funding of new projects of two gold mining companies at Bibiani and Tarkwa, both in Ghana. In addition, it has also advised a major mining concern on a group corporate restructuring exercise being undertaken by its parent company.

It also represents and advises most major American, Canadian, Irish and Australian international gold mining companies with vested interests in the exploration and mining of gold and diamonds in Ghana.

In the energy sector, Beuxpieds Chambers offers broad-ranging and authoritative legal expertise. It acted as Ghanaian counsel for a major American petroleum company in a joint venture with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to develop the Tano gas fields and build power badges to produce electricity in Ghana. In addition, the firm has recently acted as Ghanaian counsel for a consortium of senior lenders to one of the operators of the Offshore Cape Three Point (OCTP) – The Sankofa-Gye Nyame gas and oil field development and production in the Western Region of Ghana.

The firm has also advised a UK corporation with wide experience in financing investments in developing countries for the construction of a thermal plant by a local body corporate primarily involved in the generation and development of hydro-electric power. The project also included the construction and operation of transmission systems for the supply of electrical energy for industrial, commercial and domestic use.

In the oil industry, Beuxpieds Chambers has been involved in the reviewing of various agreements in connection with a syndicated loan financing of a local oil refinery’s sale of oil products.

About the water sector, the firm has also acted as Transaction Advisors for the structuring of legal and financial arrangements for the water privatisation project in Ghana. It has recently advised a major public urban water services contractor regarding a proposed management contract.