The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has announced additional policy measures to guide the implementation of Ghana’s contract mining policy and safeguard the rights, welfare and conditions of service of workers affected by the transition from owner mining to contract mining operations.
In a press release issued on October 21, the Ministry said the new directives were intended to ensure effective implementation of the policy while protecting workers within the mining industry value chain.
The Ministry reiterated that, in line with existing regulations, indigenous Ghanaian companies are required to undertake contract mining for surface mining operations. For underground mining operations, contract mining must be carried out through partnerships in which a Ghanaian-owned company holds at least a 50 per cent stake.
According to the Ministry, the requirement was incorporated into the Sixth Edition of the Local Procurement List, which took effect on January 1, 2025, pursuant to the Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2020 (LI 2431). It noted that most multinational mining companies operating in Ghana have already transitioned their operations into compliance with the policy.
The Ministry acknowledged concerns raised by the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union, human resource experts and other stakeholders regarding the possible impact of the transition on salaries, wages and conditions of service.
It said extensive consultations with labour leaders, industry experts and relevant stakeholders had reaffirmed the government’s position that no worker should be disadvantaged as a result of the implementation of the contract mining policy.
“The Ghanaian contract mining worker shall enjoy salaries, wages, allowances, benefits and other incentives equivalent to those applicable to an owner mining worker performing comparable work before the transition to contract mining,” the statement said.
To reinforce these protections, the government has directed the Minerals Commission to ensure that no worker employed by a mining contractor or similar service provider suffers any reduction in wages, benefits, entitlements or conditions of service due to the transition.
The Commission has also been tasked to harmonise salaries, wages and conditions of service across the mining industry value chain and to categorise eligible contractors according to their capacity to provide mining-related services.
The Ministry stated that the Minerals Commission must complete all processes required for the implementation of the new measures and submit the necessary documents for approval by November 30, 2026.
The government further stressed its commitment to fairness, transparency and genuine Ghanaian participation in the mining sector, warning that there would be zero tolerance for unfair labour practices, cartelisation, bid-rigging, fronting or any conduct that undermines local content objectives or disadvantages Ghanaian workers.
The statement reaffirmed the government’s resolve to protect workers while advancing local content policies aimed at increasing indigenous participation in Ghana’s mining industry.