GSBPL honours three hundred workers

Bogoso (W/R) March 23, - GNA-Golden Star Bogoso/Prestea Limited (GSBPL) has awarded 300 of its employees for their dedication and serving the organization for five years or more at a ceremony at Bogoso. The award winners were given certificates and a table top refrigerator each.

Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Ayensu, Wassa West District Chief Executive, who chaired the function, said discipline and hard work were some of the indicators of assessment of every company and for the award winners to stay in the company for such a period indicated their high sense of discipline and hard work.

He congratulated the award winners for a good work done, saying they should see their performance as helping to build the economy of Ghana and not the company alone.

Mr. Ayensu told those who did not get the award not to be downhearted but see it as a challenge which they have to overcome. Mr. Dave Partrige, General Manager, GSBPL, said our employees continuously contribute towards achieving the goals and mission in our core business venture of mining. He said Golden Star became operational on August 2 1999 and the Bogoso/Prestea operations have gone though a lot of critical times over those years.

Mr Andrews Agbenyo-Obidiaba, Prestea district labour officer, called for free flow of information to reduce suspicion and promote peaceful co-existence between management and the workforce. He mentioned wages, communication gap, job vacancies, provision of vocational guidance and counselling were some of the causes of employees and management conflicts, saying, management should nip this in the bud to avoid conflict. Mr. Partrige said many changes in both the name and management teams have been seen as the company evolves with the economics and business opportunities that are synonymous with a growing mining enterprise.

He said through the invaluable contributions and dedication of the employees, the operations of the Mine have been able to withstand these good and bad times, adding 2005 was particularly difficult year, 2006 was equally challenging and in 2007, the Mine is at another milestone of operations in terms of positive progress. Mr. Partrige disclosed that by the end of this year, with the on-going commissioning of the BIOX plant at GSBPL and contributions from Golden Star operation at Wassa the company anticipates to triple annual production previously recorded.

He said, the continued feasibility study for the underground potential at Prestea mine demonstrated the commitment the company has in the opportunity for reactivating the underground operations. The General Manager expressed the company's appreciation to the valuable contributions the workers have made towards the sustenance of the Mine.

Mr Osumanu Bukari, secretary GSBPL branch of local Ghana Mine Workers Union, on behalf of the award winners thanked Management for the award. 23 March 07