Ghana Bauxite Company workers threaten demo over poor work condition

Contract workers of the Ghana Bauxite Mining Company Limited are demanding proper working conditions with a threat to embark on a full-blown demonstration if management does not commit to bettering their lot.

The management according to Issahaku Yakabu is not paying their Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions while the general condition under which they work is unsafe and retrogressive.

Yakubu an employee of the mine and organiser of the workers adds that they’ve worked at the mine for 8 years and their lot is not getting any better adding about 6 workers from their fold have been taken on a trip to Accra for negotiations. He, however, warned that should the delegation not bring a better deal upon their return, the aggrieved workers will implement the sit-down strike for 3 or 6 months.

The Ghana Bauxite Company Limited, under the management of Rio Tinto Alcan consistently incurred losses between the years 2003 and 2009 even with the coming on board of the current manager J.K Fang, although US$4,020,000 profit was made in 2015 and US$3,400.000 in the 2017 financial year; he claims they are unable to pay corporate tax to the state because of previous losses.