The Ghana Mine Workers’ Union has rebuffed the posture taken by Blue Gold, operators of the Future Gold Resources (FGR) Mines at Bogoso on the termination of their lease by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
The termination of the mining lease follows recommendations from the Minerals Commission and the Attorney-General after numerous calls by the mine workers.
“The termination of the mining leases was necessary after extensive reviews and stakeholder engagements,” the Minister stated.
However, Blue Gold in a statement has outrightly rejected the termination on the grounds that no official communication has been made to them. The operators further add that until any disputes are resolved, the mining lease remains valid and legally binding.
“While any such dispute is ongoing, the mining leases remain fully valid and the property of the company,” the statement read.
But Chairman of the Mine Workers’, Abdul Moomin Gbana in an interview with The High Street Journal insisted that the company has no authority to reject the Ministry’s termination.
Citing reasons to rebuff the strong position of Blue Gold, the Chairman said the statement should be treated with contempt since the signatory is not known within the circles of the company and has no capacity to author such a publication.
“The one who authored that release, I wonder if has that capacity to author that release because as far as we know as a Union and as workers, we do not know who is and for that matter, his identity. I am tempted to describe it as a scam because we do not know who the person is. We know the directors and managers of the so-called company,” he noted.
He further stated that the position of Blue Gold cannot stand since the interest of the state overrides every private interest. He explains that the laws of the country mandate the president to be the trustee of all mineral resources of the state in the interest of the citizens.
He therefore insisted that the Ministry acted within the remit of the law hence Blue Gold’s position can be downplayed as lacking merit.
He explains that “the overriding interest of the nation is far bigger than any private interest. I have always maintained that the Prestea-Bogoso Mine is an asset of the state which is held in trust by the President on behalf of the people of Ghana and is supposed to be used to the ultimate benefit of the Ghanaian people and nobody else.”
“The state that has the overriding interest in every asset that God has bestowed on the nations and has taken the decision so that statement ought to be treated with the utmost contempt that it deserves. There is absolutely no reason why anybody should rely on that statement,” he added.
