Ghana Mineworkers Union demand suspension of contract mining directive, threaten industrial action

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.

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.

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.