The Ghana Mine Workers’ Union has described as positive the New Adjustment Framework between the Union and Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Limited.
The model, which was developed through a bipartite framework between the Union and the two companies, is intended to make negotiations more scientific-based and cut down on resources expended to reach agreement under the open market approach.
According to the Union, the framework so far developed was robust, predictable, fair, simple and sustainable and expressed the hope that it would stand the test of time and lead to the whole mining industry adopting the module in future.
The General Secretary of the Union, Prince William Ankrah, said this at the opening session of the National Executive Council Meeting in Accra.
He said the Union had backed government’s action against persons or institutions whose faults led to the collapse of seven local banks in the country, adding; “The Union fully supports government as it takes steps to punish those involved in this wilful criminality.”
Mr. Ankrah appealed to government to ensure that the workers who were likely to lose their jobs were protected and adequately compensated.
He said while acknowledging some actions taken by the Bank of Ghana on the issue, the Central Bank could have played its supervisory role better to avoid the situation.
“Much as we commend the Central Bank for the timeliness of its bold decision to liquidate the distressed banks to protect depositors’ funds and stabilise the financial system, we cannot wholly absolve them of blame for the regulatory lapses that has brought us where we are,” he said.
Touching on the Gold Fields Contract Mining, Mr. Ankrah called for effective dialogue on the contract with its resultant massive retrenchment of more than 2,500 permanent workers at both Tarkwa and Damang operations.
He said the reopening of AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine was refreshing and a positive addition to the industry given the sheer size of its operations and the likely positive impact through the production and beneficiation chain in the local economy.
Mr. Ankrah said government bilateral agreement with China to barter trade with the country’s bauxite resources for infrastructure in a deal worth over two billion US dollars was refreshing.
“Given the glaring infrastructure deficit witnessed everywhere in the country, the Union is on the view that the amount will go a long way to fix some of the basic economic infrastructure to spur economic growth and transformation”.
He, however, cautioned government to tread cautiously because of the environmental impact and cost associated with the deal, engage stakeholders and accommodate different shades of opinion on the issue before the deal is finalised.
Touching on the announcement by government to lift the ban on small scale mining, the Union was of the view that the activities of small scale miners should be properly streamlined and regulated with systems and structures.
The Union commended government for approving the Minerals Development Fund in 2017, which aimed at coordinating and directing projects and other development initiatives in mining communities.
