Ghana Mine Workers Union elects officers

The Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has elected officers from the Professional and Managerial staff of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited to steer the affairs of the two new union branches established at the Akyem and Ahafo project sites.
At New Abrem in the Birim North District, Mr Philip Agyepong, Commercial Relations Officer, was elected Chairperson and Mr John Koomson, Purchasing Officer, was elected Secretary for the Akyem Project branch Union.
Nana Ewusie Prah, Supply Chain Supervisor, and Mr Anthony Danso, were also elected Chairperson and Secretary respectively at Kenyasi in the Asutifi North District for the Brong Project branch.
A statement issued on Wednesday said those elected would later reconvene a meeting to elect other executive officers.
In his inaugural address delivered separately at the two project sites, Mr Prince William Ankrah, General Secretary of the GMWU, said the formation of the Senior Staff Union marked another milestone in the history of the union.
He said this would eliminate the divide and rule colonial legacy bequeathed to various managements in the country.
"There were instances where senior members of staff had their appointments terminated without following any well structured disciplinary procedure", he said.
Mr Ankrah said the practice could not continue with the formation of the union branches and assured them of the mother unions' readiness to offer them excellent service in respect of job security and career development.
He said workers could take advantage of the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) programmes organized by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), scholarship for dependants' education and other internal welfare schemes.
Mr Ankrah said the union was democratic and would welcome opinions in the decision making process adding that management should begin to reassess the premium it placed on skills of Ghanaian workers because global business needed a mix of local and expatriates skills to operate competently.
He commended the management for its good working relations with the workers and the positive role it had played in the area of HIV/AIDS.