Prince William Ankrah
The Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU) has advocated a Presidential Special Initiative (PSI) to comprehensively accelerate the development of mining communities across the country.
GMWU made the call in its pre-May Day message to mineworkers nationwide.
The statement, signed by GMWU’s General Secretary, Prince William Ankrah, said “under the PSI, the government can, as a matter of urgency, make a special arrangement to encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) to address the infrastructure challenges in the mining towns.”
It added that through the initiative, advanced payment of royalties could also be negotiated with mining companies with good balance sheet towards the initiative. Again, it said “the mining development fund can be tailored in that direction.”
GMWU said President Akufo-Addo, at the 2018 West Africa Mining and Power Conference held in Accra, expressed frustration at the infrastructure challenge in Ghana’s mining towns.
GMWU said the time had come for road networks in mining communities to be rehabilitated or constructed.
The union also called for the provision of other social amenities such as schools, hospitals and potable drinking water.
According to GMWU, it “would like government to consider in any integrated plan for accelerating socio-economic progress in the mining areas the establishment of buffer enterprises to offer alternative employment opportunities to sustain the local economies.”
The statement said “it’s no secret that had it not been educational institutions, some mining communities could pass for ghost towns.”
It continued that Akwatia, which was once an active mining town, was a cash cow for the country but now was not.
It said advanced payment of royalties could be negotiated with mining companies with good balance sheet towards such initiative, adding that the mineral development fund could be tailored in that direction.
It continued that in order not to leave anyone out of May Day celebrations, there were discussions with employers across the mining industry to organise some unique events at the various mine sites for those who were unable to attend the national parade.
“It is gratifying to note that AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi mine has bought into this idea and we hope Iduapriem mine and others will emulate…It is indeed revealing that the union has established a wage model with key players in the industry such as Newmont Gold and AngloGold Ashanti. This is aimed at using productivity matrix and other macro-economic indicators as the scientific basis for increase in salaries. It therefore reduces the hitherto protracted negotiations that characterize the industry.”
By Melvin Tarlue