Mine workers are calling on government to introduce a local content law for the industry as it is in the petroleum sector.
Speaking at the National Executive Council meeting of the Ghana Mine Workers Union, the General Secretary of the Union Prince William Ankrah says even though Ghanaian owned mining businesses are making good strides in the industry, they need to be further encouraged.
Local mining companies are unable to compete with their foreign counterparts due to factors including the high cost of borrowing in the country. While their foreign counterparts are borrowing between 0% and 5% to do businesses, Ghanaians are borrowing over 30%. They called for clear cut growth pipelines for local owned mining businesses to enable them perform and transition into large scale conglomerates in the long run.
They also addressed the issue of income inequality in the mining sector. Currently there is a yawning gap between compensation for executives and staff. This gap needs to be bridged to avert potential class warfare, he said.
The Ghana Mine Workers Union is also disappointed at government’s lackluster attitude towards the revamping of the Obusai gold mine. Since Anglogold announced its partnership arrangement with Rangold barely a year ago, the deal has not been actualized. There isn’t any information as to why this promising initiative never saw the light of day.
The group also bemoaned the fact that salary negotiations for the coming year has still not ended with barely a month to the New Year. However they remain resolute to ensure members are not shortchanged by their employers.
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