The Minerals Commission has intensified its oversight of pay and working conditions in Ghana’s contract mining industry, warning that the country’s local content agenda must not come at the expense of workers’ welfare.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Andrews Tandoh, made the position known at a meeting with major contract mining companies and other stakeholders in the sector.
Mr Tandoh stressed that increased Ghanaian ownership of mining operations must translate into tangible benefits for Ghanaian workers, including better employment opportunities, fair remuneration and improved working conditions.
He cautioned that local participation should not be reduced to a mere change in ownership but must result in sustainable businesses and decent jobs for Ghanaians.
The Commission’s intervention comes amid concerns that intense competition for mining contracts is pushing some operators to submit unsustainably low bids, with labour costs reportedly becoming one of the areas most affected.
The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union has also raised concerns about disparities in wages and conditions of service between some indigenous mining contractors and their foreign-owned counterparts, increasing calls for stronger regulatory oversight.
As part of measures to address the concerns, the Minerals Commission has directed contract mining companies to develop an industry-wide framework to establish benchmarks for wages and conditions of service.
The draft framework will be reviewed by stakeholders before being submitted to the Commission for consideration and approval.
If adopted, the framework will establish consistent employment standards across the contract mining industry and help prevent companies from gaining a competitive advantage by suppressing labour costs.
The Commission is also considering making fair wage provisions a factor in future contract awards, alongside the technical and financial capacity of prospective contractors.
Mr Tandoh said the approach reflects a broader interpretation of Ghana’s local content policy, which should go beyond transferring mining contracts to Ghanaian companies to ensuring that local ownership creates sustainable businesses and meaningful economic opportunities.
He emphasised that local ownership must deliver local value, and that such value should include decent jobs and fair wages.
The Minerals Commission CEO further urged Ghanaian contractors to compete based on technical expertise, productivity and quality of service rather than relying primarily on the lowest possible price.
