Disengaged workers demand immediate payment of unpaid benefits

By Kizito CUDJOE

Disengaged staff of Bogoso-Prestea Mine are intensifying pressure on operator Heath Goldfields, accusing the company of failing to release severance packages and other benefits promised to them after their dismissal during a restructuring phase that followed the mine’s takeover.

The former workers, dressed in red and black to signal their frustration, said the agreed-upon timelines for settling their entitlements have elapsed with no payments made.

They contend the delays breach national labour requirements and are urging the Lands and Natural Resources Minister to step in, arguing that the mine should be handed to an operator with the financial capacity to meet its obligations.

At a press conference in Accra, the convener for former mine workers, Gabriel Madobi Okletey, said that while the former workers welcomed Heath Goldfields’ takeover, it however failed to meet its obligations – prompting a protest that led the minister to issue a fresh 120-day directive for the payments to be completed

“In a memo dated 27 August 2025, Heath Goldfields committed to clearing all outstanding Provident Fund contributions by end of that month and completing payments to disengaged workers by September. The company also assured workers of severance and redundancy payments, though without firm dates.

“As of 19 November 2025 only about half of the affected workers have received their Provident Fund contributions, while End of Contract Benefits, Outstanding Leave Balances and the 2023 Bonus remain unpaid. A later memo of 6 October pushed the deadline to December, further eroding confidence and deepening concerns over the company’s financial capacity,” he said.

Mr. Okletey said the impact of these delays has been “severe and continuing”.

He said: “Our families are struggling to afford food, education and healthcare. Some workers have died without receiving their lawful entitlements. Elderly and unwell former employees – who gave decades of their lives to the Mine – now live in distress because of these prolonged delays in payment and inefficient operation of the Mine.”

He added that although the company continues to rely on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Mine Workers Union, the former staff do not consider themselves bound by it. “The MoU is not aligned with the Labour Act and does not carry the enforceable weight of statutory obligations,” he said.

It is against this backdrop that the workers appealed for the Lands Minister “to ensure that disengaged workers receive every entitlement owed them without further delay”.

“We demand the End of Contract Benefits, Outstanding Leave Arrears, 2023 Bonus and Redundancy Pay due us to be paid immediately to alleviate our hardships. It has become increasingly clear that Heath Goldfields cannot live up to their financial obligations under the Lease acquisition; the time has come for them to step aside for a more financially capable operator to be brought on board to operate the Bogoso-Prestea Mine.

“When FGR’s lease was terminated, government cited the company’s lack of financial capacity as a key factor. Workers therefore expected that any new operator would be vetted thoroughly, with transparent and verifiable proof of financial commitment.”

They also allege that much of the company’s current activity focuses on hauling and treating old tailings. While this can generate short-term returns, they said it is not a viable recovery plan for a mine that requires major rehabilitation and a full restart.

“If tailings processing was all that was needed, the previous operator could have continued. Bogoso-Prestea requires more than a temporary fix; it needs a comprehensive operational turnaround,” they argued.

Heath Goldfields did not immediately respond to requests for comment before publication of the press conference’s content.

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