{"id":89826,"date":"2025-08-14T20:35:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T20:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=89826"},"modified":"2025-08-14T20:35:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T20:35:09","slug":"ghana-mineworkers-union-raises-red-flag-over-casualisation-in-mining-sector-urges-govt-to-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=89826","title":{"rendered":"Ghana Mineworkers\u2019 Union raises red flag over casualisation in mining sector, urges gov\u2019t to act"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>2 Minute, 51 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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The Ghana Mineworkers\u2019 Union (GMWU) has warned that the growing shift from permanent employment to casual and contract work in the mining sector is eroding job security, undermining workers\u2019 welfare, and threatening the stability of the industry.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the Union\u2019s National Executive Council meeting in Tarkwa on August 14, 2025, General Secretary Abdul-Moomin Gbana said over 90 per cent of workers in the sector are now engaged in non-standard forms of employment, a situation he described as \u201cretrogressive\u201d and driven by production fragmentation and outsourcing under the guise of local content.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis arrangement continues to threaten and undermine the decent work agenda and impoverish our members; it must stop,\u201d Mr Gbana told delegates at the Gold Fields Akoon Clubhouse.<\/p>\n

\"Ghana<\/figure>\n

He urged the government, the Minerals Commission, and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to intervene with policies to protect local contractors from exploitative agreements with multinational companies, warning that \u201ccut-throat\u201d contract rates were resulting in wage delays, unpaid pensions, and unsafe working conditions.<\/p>\n

On the broader industry outlook, Mr Gbana noted that the global surge in gold prices, which hit an unprecedented US$3,000 per ounce this year, had boosted investment and production in Ghana, with output projected to rise from 4.8 million ounces to 5.1 million. <\/p>\n

He said the windfall should translate into better pay and conditions for mineworkers.<\/p>\n

\"Ghana<\/figure>\n

The General Secretary singled out Heath Goldfields Ltd, new operators of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine, for praise after the company paid GH\u20b580 million in outstanding wages owed by the previous leaseholder and committed to restarting operations. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe pledge our fullest support to work cooperatively with Heath Goldfields to transform the mine into a world-class asset,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Touching on Ghana\u2019s stake in the mining industry, Mr Gbana called for a \u201cgradualist approach\u201d to increasing local ownership rather than radical takeovers, and urged the government to revive the Minerals Income Investment Fund\u2019s Small Scale Mining Incubation Programme to help grow indigenous mining firms into mid-tier companies.<\/p>\n

\"Ghana<\/figure>\n

The GMWU leader also paid tribute to the eight Ghanaians who died in the August 6 helicopter crash while travelling to Obuasi for an anti-galamsey mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir deaths must renew our commitment to eradicating illegal mining in all its forms,\u201d he said, extending condolences to their families, the government, and the nation.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, has reaffirmed the TUC\u2019s solidarity with the Mineworkers\u2019 Union, pledging to support efforts to improve working conditions, enhance occupational health and safety, and defend the rights of miners.<\/p>\n

Addressing the NEC meeting, Mr Ansah commended the Union\u2019s leadership for consistently fulfilling its constitutional mandate to engage members on key industry issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mining sector is a critical component of Ghana\u2019s economy, and the workers in this sector are the backbone of the industry,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe TUC Ghana is committed to working with the Mineworkers\u2019 Union to address the challenges facing the sector and ensure that workers\u2019 voices are heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also urged government to expedite the review of the Labour Act to strengthen labour relations in Ghana. <\/p>\n

\u201cI call on the President and the Minister responsible for Labour and Employment to facilitate and ensure that the review of the Labour Act is brought to a conclusion to give real meaning to labour relations matters in the country,\u201d Mr Ansah added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"GhanaThe Ghana Mineworkers\u2019 Union (GMWU) has warned that the growing shift from permanent employment to casual and contract work in the mining sector is eroding job security, undermining workers\u2019 welfare, and threatening the stability of the industry.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89827,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6586,6587,1883,10,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ghana-mineworkers-union","category-mining-sector","category-national","category-politics","category-popular"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=89826"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89826\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/89827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=89826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=89826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=89826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}