The management of AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, has described as regrettable, protests at its Head Office in Accra by a group of aggrieved ex-workers who are alleging inadequacies in retrenchment packages paid them. According to the mining giants, the affected former employees were paid all retrenchment packages due them as far back as 2014, according to a collective agreement. Scores of ex-workers of Anglogold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine, who were retrenched in 2013 and 2014, on Monday, began a demonstration in front of the company’s Gold House office in Accra, to back home demands for the payment of what they say are outstanding compensations. Daily Graphic reports that the all-red clad demonstrators are demanding an immediate meeting with the CEO of the company, Kelvin Dushnisky from July 29 to August 1, to be informed of when the payments would start.   According to the ex-workers, they were prepared to occupy the front of the company’s head office for as long as it takes to hear from the Chief Executive, accusing the Managing Director, Eric Aubonteng and Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Juliet Manteaw Kutin of frustrating the process to adequately compensate them. Calling themselves ‘the 2013-2014 Dislocated Workers Group of Anglogold Ashanti Ghana Limited (Obuasi Mine)’, they said a long-standing agreement with the company since their retrenchment has not been honoured, imposing unbearable hardships on the affected workers and their dependents. However, a statement issued and jointly signed by Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Juliet Manteaw-Kutin and Manager of the Sustainability Department, Edmund Oduro-Agyei said, the claims of the ex-workers are “unfounded”. Read the full statement below: AngloGold Ashanti Ghana Sets Record Straight on Retrenchment Packages AngloGold Ashanti Ghana (“the Company”) notes with regret protest action outside of its office in Accra by a small group of former employees alleging some inadequacies of the retrenchment packages paid out to employees back in 2014.  The Company is confident that all entitlements due to retrenched employees were fully paid, in accordance with the Collective Agreement and all applicable laws.  The retrenchment programme, preceded by intensive dialogue with affected parties, was supported and facilitated by a range of stakeholders, including national authorities, the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union (GMWU) and the Chief Labour Officer. AngloGold Ashanti Ghana is disappointed that despite several engagements with this aggrieved group to clarify the Collective Agreement and verify calculations, these unfounded claims persist, including a purported Unprecedented Negotiation Agreement signed in 2013 by the Company, the Chief Labour Officer and the GMWU.  The Company and the GMWU have made it clear to the leadership of this aggrieved group that this purported Unprecedented Negotiation Agreement is a forgery. This matter has been reported to the Ghana Police and an investigation is currently underway. AngloGold Ashanti Ghana is currently seized with the important work of redeveloping the Obuasi Mine into a modern, productive, long-life and high-margin mining operation.  This effort not only provides jobs to the mine’s direct employees but ensures further job creation through procurement and contract opportunities offered to a range of local businesses across the operation’s value chain. ENDS