The ongoing national discussion surrounding the proposed renewal of Gold Fields’ Tarkwa mining lease has evolved beyond a simple argument over foreign ownership. At its core, the debate raises a far more strategic question: Does Ghana currently possess the full institutional and financial capacity to independently sustain a world-class large-scale mining operation without exposing the economy to significant risk? The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has argued that Ghana should reject the proposed lease extension and instead pursue greater Ghanaian ownership and control of the Tarkwa Mine.