The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has demanded the immediate suspension of the Minerals Commission’s directive requiring major mining companies to transition from owner-mining to contract mining, warning that failure to address its concerns could trigger industrial action across the sector.

In a petition dated August 20, 2026, the union accused the government of allowing local content policies to fuel precarious employment and labour exploitation in the mining industry.

The GMWU claims more than 95% of workers in the sector are now engaged in precarious employment arrangements, including fixed-term, casual, and contract work.

Speaking after presenting the petition to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, GMWU General Secretary Abdul-Moomin Gbana said the union was “totally opposed” to the directive, arguing that it undermines the original objectives of Ghana’s local content regulations.

“This is not what we intended for local content regulation. This is a complete reversal of what the intentions were,” he said.

Mr Gbana warned that the union would begin a campaign of protest from September 1, including the wearing of red armbands by mineworkers.

“Beginning 1 September, we will put on red armbands and show our revolt to the government about what is happening. It is about bread and butter, and we can’t sit aloof,” he said.

Union raises concerns over job security

According to the GMWU, more than 90% of workers in the mining sector were engaged in fixed-term and casual employment as of the end of 2024, while permanent employment accounted for less than 10%.

The union says the situation has deteriorated further in 2026, with more than 95% of the workforce now in precarious employment.

It attributes the trend partly to the Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2431), which it argues has contributed to the fragmentation of mining operations and the increasing use of contract mining.

The union is particularly concerned about the role of labour brokers, especially in some Chinese-owned mining operations.

It alleges that Ghanaian workers, including mining engineers, geologists and metallurgists, are being subjected to poor working conditions and inadequate remuneration under some contractor arrangements.

“Local content must therefore create opportunities for all Ghanaians. It cannot become a vehicle for exploitation to enrich a few contractors at the expense of the workers who risk and sweat day and night in the bowls of the earth to produce the wealth,” the petition stated.

Concerns over wages and benefits

The GMWU says workers employed through contractors generally receive significantly lower wages and benefits than those directly employed by mining companies.

It claims wages can be reduced by at least half when workers move from owner-mining arrangements to contractor employment.

The union also cited delays in the payment of wages, non-payment of provident fund contributions and terminal gratuities, pension-related concerns and prolonged negotiations over conditions of service.

It further raised concerns about workplace safety, alleging that cost-cutting by some contractors has contributed to higher levels of unrecorded workplace injuries.

Dispute over Minerals Commission directive

The union said it first raised its concerns with the Minerals Commission in a letter dated April 23, 2026, following a directive requiring Zijin, Newmont and AngloGold to transition their owner-mining operations to contract mining by December 2026.

A subsequent meeting convened by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources on May 26 resulted in a roadmap to suspend the directive and establish a Technical Committee to examine the union’s concerns.

However, the GMWU says it has not been invited to participate in the committee’s work, despite the passage of several months.

The union is therefore demanding that all administrative directives mandating the transition from owner-mining to contract mining be suspended.

It is also calling for decisive regulatory measures to reverse what it describes as the growing casualisation and outsourcing of mining-sector jobs.

Minister promises response

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, assured the union that the government’s local content policy was intended to protect workers and secure jobs.

“At the core of our local content policy is the interest of workers, work protection and job security of workers. There are serious concerns raised. We will study your petition, and we will quickly get back to you with a view to addressing them,” he said.

The union is also calling for the establishment of a permanent Government-Employers-Labour forum to provide a platform for consultation on mining-sector policies and employment practices.

Red armbands from September 1

The GMWU has given the government until September 2026 to address its concerns.

It says workers across mining sites will begin wearing red armbands from September 1 as a demonstration of their opposition to the contract mining directive.

The union has warned that more extensive industrial action could follow by the end of September if the government fails to suspend or reverse the directive.

It argues that prolonged industrial unrest in the mining sector could affect mineral production, government revenue, investor confidence and the wider economy.