Ghana Mine Workers Union supports bauxite barter deal with Sinohydro Group

Members of the Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU) have supported the Akufo-Addo Administration’s decision to sign a $2 billion bauxite barter deal with Sinohydro Group Limited. The government is facing criticism from analysts and oppositions on the decision to agree on a loan for infrastructure spending in exchange of bauxite.

But the Ghana Mineworkers Union during its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting said considering the glaring infrastructure deficit experienced across the country, the fund can solve some of the basic economic crisis.

General Secretary of the Mineworkers Union of Trades Union Congress of Ghana, Prince William Ankrah, in a statement at the meeting stressed that “Given the glaring infrastructure deficit witnessed everywhere in the country, it is the view of the Union that the amount will go a long way to fix some of the basic economic infrastructure like the railway system, major roads/highways, airports etc, the country urgently needs to spur economic growth and transformation.”

He however urged the government to consider the environmental impact and cost associated with the deal, and carefully look into different opinions and loopholes.

Commenting on government’s decision to lift the ban on small scale mining, Mr. Ankrah said that the government needs to find a system to streamline and regulate small-scale miners and to differentiate between small scale mining and illegal mining.

“Given the colossal damage the actors in the informal subsector of the industry inflicted on the environment and the cost incurred in reclaiming it, we can no longer continue to gamble with their activities by relegating their regulation to the background,” he said.

He said that the recent Ahafo mining community uprising against some of the companies involving both workers and community members indicate that if government turns a blind eye to the needs of the mining community and the locals, it may lead to eruptions again.