"Gov't Will Not Relent On Ensuring That Mining Companies Do The Right Thing" - Mireku Duker (VIDEOS)

Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources responsible for Mines, George Mireku Duker has assured Executives of the Ghana Mines Workers Union that the Akufo-Addo Administration will not relent on ensuring that mining companies do the right thing(s) in the country.

The Deputy Minister made the call when he met with some Executives of the Ghana Mines Workers Union in Accra on Monday.

Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Minister said "Government has been on these companies to roll out local content polices to favour the indigenes of the various  communities in which they operate. Government will however not relent on ensuring that mining companies do the right thing"

Hon. Duker also charged mining companies in the country to deepen their local content policy in the favour of indigenes of the communities they operate in.

"We wouldn't want a situation where the mine or the concessionaire will elapse their mining life and get away without giving the hard working Ghanaians what they are due and this is what we want to frown on".

'"As these mining companies make profit in their venture, they must do so collaboratively and also link whatsoever gains they make with their entire workforce. This is the "right thing" the Ministry and government expects from the various mining companies"

Hon. Duker further explained that local content is not only about welfare but also making available part of thier concessions to the Ghanaian workers by way of outsourcing some of their production activities, technological advancements among others.

He acknowledged the challenges tabled by the workers union and commended them for addressing their grievance appropriately through the right quarters.

He assured the executives that the Ministry will continue to engage the Ghana Chamber of Mines and the Union to coordinate and bridge all the gabs "we will ensure we dot all the "Is" and cross all the "Ts" ".

In response to the issues raised by the Hon. Minister on incentives to motivate miners, the Chairman of the Ghana Mines Workers Union, Kwarku Mensah Gyakari said "All miners in the big mining companies including Newmont Ghana work on fixed term contract which means miners leave  after two years"

"When we enquired from Newmont Ghana and we were told that the laws of Ghana allows it and they have no option to do so," he added.

Taking his turn, Secretary of the Ghana Mines Workers Union, Abdul Moomin Gbana said "The State must take interest. In other jurisdictions, they have been very clear about the fact that if you put an employee on a two-year contract, as long as the job remains, you cannot continue to keep the workers on temporal employment"

He described the life of mining as not static adding that it is subject to change based on the critical imperatives and considerations.

"We are increasingly treating workers as if they are commodities, we buy off the shelves and when you finish using them, you dump them"

"I don't think that is how the Ghanaian worker particularly, the mining worker wants to be treated. All these things boils down to policy. Government must be interested, put your best foot forward and demand that the rights of workers are respected and ensure that workers work in an atmosphere of decency" he mentioned.

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Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith