The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMWU) has rejected claims by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources that it has held extensive consultations with the union over the government’s further directives on contract mining.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, October 22, the Union described the ministry’s assertion as “factually inaccurate,” insisting that no consultations had taken place as of October 21, when the ministry released its statement on the policy.
The Union was reacting to a press release dated October 21, 2026, titled “Government Issues Further Policy Directive on Contract Mining,” which indicated that the ministry had been engaging extensively with the union’s leadership on the matter.
“The GMWU wishes to state, unequivocally, that this claim by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in its press release of October 21, 2026, is factually inaccurate,” the statement said.
The Union said it petitioned the ministry on August 20, 2026, following concerns over the implementation of the Local Content Policy, particularly its implications for contract mining and the welfare of mineworkers.
According to the GMWU, the policy could expose workers to exploitation, abuse and casualisation of labour while undermining employment protections secured over several decades.
The Union said it had called on the government to suspend the directive and initiate an inclusive and transparent stakeholder engagement process that prioritises workers’ interests.
However, it claimed that more than two months after submitting its petition, neither the ministry nor the government had taken any practical steps to meet with the union or address the concerns raised on behalf of more than 15,000 members.
“It is therefore both misleading and unfortunate for the Ministry to suggest that extensive consultations have taken place when no such consultations had occurred as of the date of its press release,” the union stated.
The GMWU has consequently called on the ministry to correct what it considers a misrepresentation of the engagement process.
The Union backs local participation but warns against worker exploitation.
Despite its objections to the government’s approach to contract mining, the union stressed that it was not opposed to greater participation by Ghanaian businesses in the mining industry.
It maintained, however, that local content initiatives must create sustainable employment opportunities and improve workers’ livelihoods rather than weaken labour protections.
“The GMWU wishes to reiterate that we are not opposed to responsible participation of Ghanaian businesses in the mining sector,” the statement said.
“We are strongly opposed to any policy or practice that transfers wealth from workers to contractors, weakens social protection, undermines decent work and violates workers’ rights.”
The union argued that local content policies should benefit the wider Ghanaian population instead of enriching a small group of contractors at the expense of workers who undertake the difficult and often hazardous work of extracting the country’s mineral resources.
“We cannot build a prosperous mining industry by impoverishing the very workers whose labour produces its wealth,” the statement added.
GMWU cautions Minerals Commission over workers’ conditions
The union also raised concerns about media engagements involving the Minerals Commission, the government and other stakeholders on contract mining, local content and workers’ conditions of service.
It cautioned the Minerals Commission and the government against adopting a unilateral approach to issues concerning mineworkers, noting that several employment-related matters are governed by collective bargaining arrangements and the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
The GMWU said authorities must recognise the legal framework governing labour relations when considering policies that affect workers’ conditions.
GMWU PRESS STATEMENT GOV’T FURTHER DIRECTIVE ON CONTRACT MINING
By Daniel Opoku
