The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) has called for the immediate suspension of a reported directive seeking to transition parts of the mining sector to contract mining, warning that the move could undermine job security and workers’ rights if not properly managed.
Delivering a solidarity message on May Day at the Elking Hotel in Accra, the Secretary-General of GFL, Abraham Koomson, expressed strong support for the Extractive Industry Workers’ Union Ghana and workers within the mining and extractive sector who may be affected by the directive.
Mr. Koomson clarified that while GFL supports local content policies and increased Ghanaian participation in the mining industry, such policies must not come at the expense of decent work.
He cautioned that local content should not become a “cover for labour casualisation,” stressing that any reforms must protect existing jobs, uphold fair wages, and maintain strong occupational safety standards.
According to him, the real issue is not whether Ghanaian companies should participate in mining an idea the Federation fully supports but whether the implementation of such participation will safeguard workers’ rights, preserve collective bargaining agreements, and ensure safe working conditions.
He referenced the principles of the International Labour Organization, (ILO) noting that decent work is built on employment, rights at work, social protection, and social dialogue.
Any policy that increases local ownership but results in job insecurity, reduced wages, or weakened union protections, he argued, would fall short of these standards.
The GFL outlined three key demands: full disclosure of the directive and its implications, meaningful consultation with affected unions, and the establishment of binding labour safeguards.
These safeguards, Mr. Koomson emphasized, must guarantee no job losses without due process, no reduction in wages or conditions of service, and continued recognition of trade unions.
He further insisted that contractors engaged under any new arrangement must comply with existing labour laws, pension obligations, and occupational safety requirements.
Describing mining as both a strategic and high-risk sector, Mr. Koomson stressed that any shift in its employment structure must be approached with transparency and caution.
The GFL has therefore urged government and relevant authorities to halt the implementation of the directive until a comprehensive labour impact assessment is conducted and a negotiated transition framework is agreed upon with organised labour.
Reaffirming solidarity with mine workers, the Federation maintained that while Ghana’s mineral wealth should benefit its citizens, this must not be achieved at the cost of the very workers who sustain the industry.
“Local content and decent work must go hand in hand,” Mr. Koomson concluded. “One must not be used to destroy the other.”
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh (#RomeoWrites✍️) / Ahotoronline.com | Ghana🇬🇭
