Bogoso-Prestea Mine Workers Protest for Overdue Payments and New Management
Scores of former workers of the Bogoso-Prestea Mines have staged a protest in Accra today, Wednesday, December 10, demanding the immediate payment of their long-overdue entitlements.
The irate workers, clad in red and black, picketed at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission, wielding placards and chanting slogans to express their frustration.
The protest stems from years of unfulfilled promises following their disengagement from the mine. The union alleges that the current operator, Heath Gold Fields (HGF), lacks the financial capacity to meet its obligations.
A petition was presented to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, and received by a representative of the ministry, escalating the workers’ demands.
The workers are seeking two primary resolutions: full payment of all outstanding benefits and the replacement of HGF with a financially stable entity capable of revitalizing the Bogoso-Prestea mine.
Gabriel Madobi, Convenor of the Former Workers of the Bogoso Prestea Mines Union, explained that the unpaid entitlements represent a critical lifeline for the affected workers and their families. “These payments are all we have to fall back on after dedicating years of our lives to the mine,” he stated.
The outstanding payments encompass a wide range of benefits, including Provident Fund contributions and arrears, end-of-service benefits, redundancy and severance compensation, accrued leave, annual bonuses, and other statutory and contractual entitlements.
According to the petition, hundreds of workers have been without income for months, struggling to afford basic necessities like food, education, and healthcare. Tragically, some workers have passed away without receiving their due benefits, leaving their families in dire straits.
The petition further highlighted the plight of elderly and medically unfit workers who, after decades of service, are now facing poverty and indignity.
The current crisis is rooted in the mine’s recent history of ownership changes. Golden Star Resources (GSR) previously operated the mine successfully for many years.
Subsequently, the mine was sold to Future Global Resources (FGR) and then to Heath Goldfields Limited (HGL). The union claims that the transition to HGL, coupled with alleged financial mismanagement, led to the disengagement of numerous workers.
The workers allege that HGL’s financial difficulties have resulted in recurrent labour disputes, operational shutdowns, and, crucially, the failure to pay their entitlements. They assert that the lack of capital injection is causing the mine’s assets to deteriorate, threatening the long-term sustainability of the community that relies on it.
The protesting workers are urging the government to fulfill its responsibility to ensure the full payment of benefits to all disengaged workers and to appoint a financially capable operator to restore the Prestea-Bogoso mine to its former glory.
As of now, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commission have not issued an official statement regarding the protest. However, the union’s action is expected to prompt urgent engagement from high-level government officials to address the ongoing financial and operational challenges at the historic Bogoso-Prestea mine.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
