Agnes Ayitey addressing journalists
Some aggrieved staff of state-owned Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) on Thursday, October 4, 2018 embarked on a demonstration to demand the dismissal of the Managing Director (MD) of the company.
According to the staff, Mr Opare-Hammond and the Board have been mismanaging the company and breaching the procurement laws of the country.
They alleged that since the beginning of the year, the Board has held 26 meetings and increased members’ allowances by 729 percent, leading to the payment of over GH¢300,000 to them.
Mr. Opare-Hammond has also been accused of purchasing an assay scan machine at a cost of GH¢600,000 without going through the Tender Committee in line with procurement laws.
Speaking to journalists during the demonstration, which took place on the premises of PMMC in Accra, Agnes Ayitey, PMMC Branch Union Executive of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said the plight of the workers had worsened since the MD assumed office.
Workers’ health benefits and allowances, she said, have all been reviewed to their detriment whilst Mr Opare-Hammond and his board members enjoy themselves.
“For nearly seven years, we have been marketing precious stones like gold and diamond in abject poverty whilst the current MD and his predecessors have become rich overnight, she added.
They, therefore, petitioned the leadership of the Ghana Mineworkers Union to intervene in the matter and address their concerns.
They also called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately terminate the appointment of Mr. Opare-Hammond and dissolve the PMMC Board to bring an end to the ‘Chop Chop.’
Addressing journalists at the TUC Secretariat, General Secretary of Ghana Mineworkers Union, Prince William Ankrah, explained that leadership of the Mineworkers Union failed to amicably resolve the impasse between the MD and board on one hand, and the workers on the other.
According to him, Mr. Opare-Hammond was scheduled to meet the aggrieved workers and their leaders on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, but later asked for the meeting to be postponed because he (Opare-Hammond) wanted his lawyer to be present, forcing the workers to embark on the demonstration.
Meanwhile, when BUSINESS GUIDE contacted Mr. Opare-Hammond, he said he was in an emergency meeting with the leadership of the Mineworkers Union.
He promised to issue a press statement later to state his position on the matter.
By Melvin Tarlue