Press release from Youth Alliance for Development

YOUTH ALLIANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT'S POSITION ON THE RETRENCHMENT EXERCISE BY ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI, OBUASI MINE

It is now public knowledge that AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine will continue with their planned retrenchment exercise which will affect over 5,000 workers of the mine including some contractors.

The Youth Alliance for Development strongly disagrees with the position of the mine and considers their action as cruel and superfluous considering the long term negative impact it will have on the Obuasi Township.

We believe that there are better ways of resolving the issues raised by AngloGold so far without necessary sacking almost all the workers of the mine. This is because the mine which has been in existence for the past 117 years is the main source of occupation for the people of Obuasi and its environs and a backbone to the local economy.

It is in the opinion of Youth Alliance for Development that the current challenges posed by the mine are not the sole doing of the workers. We therefore find it difficult to comprehend why workers are bearing the consequences. A former General Manager of the Company, Mr. Y.B Amponsah who had worked in the company for 25 years in an interview with the Daily Graphic was quoted as saying “But they (AGA) came with a mentality which didn’t help the mine and that is why the mine is where it is now and they shouldn't blame anybody.” Mr. Amposah further blamed the current problems of the Obuasi mine on mismanagement and failure to understand the culture of Obuasi on the part of the mining giant citing flawed strategy and poor decision making as their major challenge.

We at Youth Alliance can't help it but to agree with him perfectly and for that matter we believe the current problems must be looked at critically before embarking on the layoffs.

This retrenchment if not obviate, will go a long way to bring untold hardship on the residents which can destabilize the peaceful nature of Obuasi.

We are aware of the sharp increase in crime which hit the city after the clamp down in galamsey activities in early last year. Sacking over 5000 workers has the capacity to bringng untold hardship on every dependent of the workers.

We call on the government to make its position clear on this issue and intervene as early as possible.

We believe that there could be an alternative plan that can be executed and the mine can be up again and running rather than lay off over 5000 workers. Management should think about securing the mine by way of resorting to a gradual lay off of some few workers whilst it performs its 'care and maintenance' exercise.

Thank You

Signed

Badini Mustapha Al-hassan

(Communication Director)

0244450060, 0207510294

Signed

Charles Wudengba

(Director of Research)

0247516850

Youth Alliance for Development is a youth led NGO which works in the areas of empowerment, health, sustainable environment, research, advocacy, education, and skills development of young people.