Staff of FGR to demonstrate over unpaid SSNIT, others as Chiefs petition Lands Minister to rescue dying mine

Staff, excluding Managers of mining firm, Future Global Resources Bogoso Prestea Limited, have been on a sit-down strike for some days now.

The action by the Senior and Junior staff of the company is to drum home their rightful demands which are statutory, that the company had earlier in September agreed to honour them.

Information gathered suggests that the handlers of the company have not made any attempt to address the concerns of the staff and appeal to them to rescind their decision.

A memo sighted and signed by the various Union Groups in the company; Bogoso Gold Enterprise Base Union (BGEBEU) and Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU) on Thursday, October 12, 2023, indicate that the Senior and Junior Staff have given the company a seven-day ultimatum to honour their demands or elevate their sit-down strike to another form.

The staff are asking Future Global Resources to pay in full all Tier 1 (SSNIT) arrears, Tier 2 (OPS) arrears, January-July & September 2023 Welfare arrears, and also the 2nd Tranche of the severance to all affected employees.

“Finally, we wish to also remind Management of the impending final tranche payment of the severance on or before 31st October 2023,” read parts of the memo.

Currently, the operations of FGR have halted since the processing plant has been down for some weeks now, due to the present state of the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), which may break loose if they receive more waste from production.

Some sources in the company say the situation of the TS Facilities could be dealt with if monies were being released by the owners to raise it or fix other technical faults around them.

The genesis, of the woes of the once vibrant gold mine and innocent Senior and Junior Staff workers started after Future Global Resources (FGR) ‘bought’ the company from Golden Star Resources Bogoso/Prestea Limited (GSR) in 2020.

A lot of improvement were expected in the operations and dealings of the company following the sale of the gold mine from Golden Star Resources to Future Global Resources, but that has however, not been the case. The expectations of the Chiefs and people within the operational areas of the mine in the Prestea Huni – Valley Municipality were dashed upon hearing that the new owners have not invested a penny into the operations of the mining firm.

The company owes almost all of its sub-contractors, though there has been production since FGR took over.

The indebtedness has pushed some of the contractors away.

The downward development of the company has recently pushed the six Divisional Chiefs, on whose lands FGR operates, to petition the Lands and Natural Resources Minister and other institutions that play vital roles in the management of Ghana’s natural resources, to as a matter of urgency, intervene and put back the company on the right track.

The petition by the staff of FGR highlighted pertinent difficulties the company faces as a result of little or no investment by FGR and its mother company Blue International Holdings.

The Chiefs pointed out how workers have to buy their own PPE and the dangerous environment in which the Senior and Junior Staff work.

Checks reveal that the petition by the staff of FGR got to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor, more than four months ago, but has not been met with any response.

Apparently, not showing concern about the issues the Chiefs and people in the six Divisional Areas, as well as the general workers of the dying Future Global Resources Bogoso-Prestea mine have raised.

The request by the Chiefs among others is for the MLNR to call on FGR to declare their planned financial investment in the mine and the country, which should include their planned corporate social responsibility for the catchment communities.

Also, the Divisional Chiefs pleaded with the Ministry to engage new “investors to either partner FGR or take over the operations of the Bogoso Prestea mineral asset for the benefit of the country and our communities.”

Residents of Bogoso, Prestea, and the adjoining communities which directly and indirectly benefit from the existence of the mining firm dread the day the company will officially cease operating, as the current situation is severely being felt by residents in the area.

Source: Norvanreports