Ghana Mineworkers Union demand suspension of contract mining directive, threaten industrial action

The Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU) has called for a halt to the Minerals Commission's directive mandating major mining companies to shift from owner-mining to contract mining, threatening industrial action if their demands are not met. In a petition, the union accused the government of allowing local content policies to result in precarious employment and labour exploitation in the mining sector.

More than 95% of workers in the industry are now engaged in precarious employment, including fixed-term, casual, and contract work. GMWU General Secretary Abdul-Moomin Gbana expressed the union's opposition to the directive, arguing that it contradicts the original aims of Ghana's local content regulations. The union warned of starting a protest campaign from September 1, including wearing red armbands by mineworkers.

The GMWU has raised concerns about job security, citing that over 90% of workers in the mining sector were in fixed-term and casual employment by the end of 2024, with less than 10% in permanent positions. The union claims that these conditions have worsened in 2026, with more than 95% of the workforce now in precarious employment, partly due to the 2020 Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations.

The union is particularly concerned about the use of labour brokers, especially in Chinese-owned mining operations, alleging poor working conditions and inadequate remuneration. Wages under contractors are generally half of those in owner-mining arrangements, and workers face delays in wage payments, non-payment of provident fund contributions, and terminal gratuities.

The union also cited concerns over workplace safety, attributing higher levels of unrecorded workplace injuries to cost-cutting by contractors. The GMWU demanded the suspension of administrative directives mandating the transition from owner-mining to contract mining and called for regulatory measures to address the growing casualisation and outsourcing of mining-sector jobs.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources assured the union that the government's local content policy aims to protect workers and secure jobs, promising a response soon to address their concerns.