By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, April 30, GNA – The Ghana Chamber of Mines has reiterated the critical importance of employee well-being, safety, and strategic decision-making in the mining sector.
It has also called for a balanced and forward-looking approach to operational and policy reforms.
Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, underscored the centrality of workers to mining productivity, stating: “employee well-being is very important to the mines, because without the employees, you can’t produce anything. A safe employee is a productive mine.”
He explained that mining companies continued to invest significantly in staff development through “well-being programmes, capacity building, health and safety training, and all kinds of standards,” to ensure that workers remained competent and protected on the job.
Dr Ashigbey made the call at the “2026 World Day for Safety and Health at Work Conference” in Accra by the Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Professionals Association of Ghana (SHEQPA-GH).
He said safety must remain a priority at all levels, adding that “your employees, at every point in time, will be well trained… the more they can rely on their training, the more the mine itself is protected.”
On policy direction, he expressed concerns about attempts to mandate mining models, stressing that operational choices should remain business-driven.
“The decision to go into contract mining or owner mining should be a business decision. If I can do it myself more effectively, more productively and profitably, I would do that,” he said.
While increasing Ghanaian participation in mining was laudable, he said it must be done in a structured and consultative manner.
“It should be systematic, it should be planned, and the investor or the owner of the mine should be part of the process,” he stated.
Dr Ashigbey highlighted that health and safety in the sector were already strongly regulated, particularly by the Minerals Commission, but urged companies to go beyond compliance.
“Don’t see it as because it’s a law, so it is by force. See it as a proactive activity… these laws are there for our own good,” he advised.
On her part, Ms Akua Agyeiwaa Berantuo Armooh, President of SHEQPA, called for a broader approach to workplace safety that includes mental health.
“For my fellow HSE practitioners, the expectation is that we would not focus only on physical safety, but pay particular attention to psychosocial or mental health as it affects employees,” she said.
She also urged business leaders to prioritise employee welfare, noting that “they need to show duty of care to employees at the workplace,” while calling on regulators to strengthen legal frameworks.
“We need them to come up with legislations and policies that will guide businesses to pay attention to employees’ health and safety,” she added.
Ms Armooh emphasised that industry discussions must lead to tangible outcomes rather than remain theoretical. “We do not want these sessions just to be a talk shop,” she said, citing previous engagements that led to the adoption of technologies such as collision avoidance and fatigue detection systems in mining operations.
She revealed plans to deepen engagement with industry leaders to ensure effective implementation of policies. “When we come up with these policies, if they do not buy in, then they would not work,” she noted.
Dr Desmond Boahen, Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines in charge of Technical Services and Explosives at the Minerals Commission, described mining as a high-risk industry that requires continuous investment in safety.
“Mining is very high risk, so health and safety concerns are serious. That is why mines spend a lot to ensure that everybody who enters the mine comes out safely,” he said.
He drew attention to emerging risks that are often overlooked, particularly psychosocial challenges, saying: “There are aspects of risk that are silent, especially what we call psychosocial risk… these arise out of the work itself, leadership planning, workplace bullying, and mental health issues,” he explained.
Dr Boahen noted that existing laws were not explicit on such issues and called for reforms to reflect current workplace realities. “We want to bring that awareness to make sure legislation catches up with the realities in the workplace,” he said.
The stakeholders collectively emphasised the need for a holistic, inclusive, and well-regulated approach to mining, with strong collaboration between industry players, regulators, and policymakers to ensure sustainable and responsible operations.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba