By Emmanuel Gamson
Bogoso (W/R), May 09, GNA – Mr Patrick Appiah Mensah, the Managing Director (MD) of Heath Goldfields, operators of the Bogoso-Prestea Mine, says the company has paid all outstanding salaries and other statutory arrears owed its former and current workers.
According to him, management had paid about $22 million in worker entitlements, and severance packages for about 212 workers as legacy debts inherited from the former operators of the Mine, Future Global Resources (FGR).
He said this at the premises of the Mine, after workers organised a “Thank You” walk to show their appreciation to the management for settling the arrears after months of agitation.
Mr Mensah noted that the settlement of the legacy debts reaffirmed their company’s commitment to bringing stability to the Mine to help ensure broader community development.
He said: “We are committed to setting all the legacy debts that we inherited from the previous operators, and we had an arrangement with the Ghana Mine Workers Union where we gave a road map that governed the payment milestone, and I am happy that we have satisfied and honoured all the commitments.”
The MD gave the assurance that welfare of workers would continue to be prioritised, noting that they were invaluable assets to the sustainability of the Mine.
Mr Raymond Bimpong Boateng, the Secretary of the Heath Goldfields Branch of the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union, praised the management of the Mine for honouring its commitments and paying all outstanding legacy arrears owed them.
“We organised this walk to show our appreciation to the management of Heath Goldfields for fulfilling every promise to us who worked under FGR, and we are happy that all our toils were not in vain,” he stated.
He pledged the workers’ commitment to continue to work hard to spur the growth of the Mine, saying; “We want Heath Goldfields to get to the levels of Damang Mines, Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti and the likes.”
Mr Boateng expressed confidence in the Heath Goldfields management’s ability to restore stability in the Mine and help propel development within its catchment communities.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Emmanuel Gamson