Gold Profits but workers still suffer in Mining Industry

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I'm a Ghanaian and if there's one thing the nation and its people pride themselves with, it's Gold. In Ghana, mining seems to be one of the most important industries and that's where a lot of money is. The industry brings money, jobs and also some level of recognition from around the world. But behind this success, this achievement, many mine workers are treated so poorly.

Mining in of itself ain't for the weak of heart, so setting any condition that'll make the workers suffer more is just wrong. Unfortunately, the local mining companies do not take care of their workers the way they should. It's unsafe working conditions and there's a dozen stories of mining sites breaking down with people dying in the process. Mining is one of the riskiest jobs to do, so to add low pay and delay in wages and poor welfare will make it close to if not inhumane.

It also in a way puts the mining industry and the country at risk. The Ghana Mine Workers Union, part of the Trade Union Congress, has been speaking out about these problems for a while now. They say that many of the local companies are not doing as much as foreign companies to take care of their employees.

Reality check, worker welfare is more than just paying salaries, it includes safe working conditions, some level of respect, proper treatment and care for employees’ wellbeing. They're not building a statue for pharaoh in ancient Egypt so at least treat them right, I hope I'm not over exaggerating here.

Deputy General Secretary Jerry Andy spoke at the union’s national executive council meeting not too long ago with regards to this matter. He said that if local companies do not improve, Ghana could face a crisis similar to what happened in our financial sector, where weak rules and poor governance caused many banks and financial institutions to fail. People lost their money and trust in the system was damaged and is damaged till today.

Jerry Andy said that many local mining companies do not follow proper corporate governance or international standards. It is the responsibility of the mining company to pay attention to worker welfare, follow rules, respect international standards and make sure their employees are safe and treated fairly. If they want to make mining sustainable, that is the price to pay.

It's a serious matter because if these companies do not make these changes, the mining industry could face serious problems. Workers could continue being ignored and accidents and mistakes could increase. This will not only hurt the mining industry but also the nation since we gain recognition in the world for gold.

Another big problem the mining sector faces is that most mine workers do not have permanent jobs. Over 90% of the workers are hired on casual or contract terms. No contract no work. That means the workers have little job security, they can be fired easily and they usually receive fewer benefits and lower pay than permanent employees would.

Many of the companies also outsource core mining work to other contractors. Yes their intention by doing that is to save money, but it goes directly against the workers. Safety standards can go down, wages can be delayed and workers may not be properly protected.

The union has asked for stricter rules to be established to make sure all companies take responsibility for their workers and provide safe working conditions. This should be standard for any business but sometimes since profit is the main goal for anyone that starts a business, the tendency to overlook the well being and details regarding their workers is very high. That's why it would be great to create a standard for how businesses should handle their workers and if not, then the worker should be given the right to at least talk about it.

But not everything is bad news. The union praised Heath Goldfields Limited for paying about GHC 80 million in unpaid wages owed by the previous leaseholder of the Bogoso Prestea Mine. In USD we're looking at $7 to $8 million.

That is evidence that those companies can pay workers fairly and still be successful. The union is working with the company to settle remaining debts and restart operations safely. If all companies follow good worker treatment, there won't be that many strikes and complaints.

Regardless of how many times workers complain or go on strikes, if government intervention does not happen, we might have the same story over and over again. When companies take care of workers, everyone benefits. The workers are safer and more motivated. Motivated workers brings you the business owner more productivity and value than you trying to rip them off of their own wages or salaries.

Your company earns respect and the country's reputation grows globally. It's a win win if we do the right things.

Screenshot of mining from this website, it's messed up