The workers accused the Ministry of not doing much to address their concerns despite assurances from Lands Minister, John Peter Amweu that his outfit would look into the matter.

According to Citi News’ Anass Seidu who reported from the scene, a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed in August assuring the workers that their salaries arrears would be paid, something they claim has not been done.

The representative of the workers, Francis Owusu, told Citi News that,“We are here just to send our message and grievances to the Minister. We were here on August 1 to petition his office to intervene in our precarious situation. When we came, the Minister gave us his word that in seven days, he’s going to ensure that we find a solution to our problems. But as we speak, we’ve not had any concrete solution despite the MoU that we signed with them.”

“It’s only the payment of the salary arrears from January and February 2016, but since then, they have gone back to sleep. We want the Ministry to intervene because it seems there’s a deep crack between the Directors of the company which is why we aren’t getting pragmatic solutions to our plight.”

The acting Chief Director of the Lands Ministry, Alhaji Sulemana Mahama, addressed the agitated workers, and called for calm. He also repeated the Ministry’s assurances to deal with the matter.

He stated that, following the workers’ initial complaints, the Ministry had held discussions with the company whose managers had indicated that they were addressing the issues.

“You were here in your numbers in early August. When you came, actually the Minister met with you, and indicated that, he was going to intervene. We called Owere mines to find out what their problems were. From that [meeting], series of discussions were supposed to have taken place with the workers, and the Mine Workers Union. Our understanding was that, the dialogue was going on. The Ministry’s position was that, once it had started and was working, there was supposed to be two months payment and that was settled. The remainder was what was supposed to be settled in September,” he said

“Not having heard anything since then, our understanding was that, the terms of the agreement were being met. Now that you have drawn our attention that this has not been done, we would have to go back and engage the company after which we’ll advise the government on definite decisions.”

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Owere Mines workers besiege Lands Ministry over salary arrears appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is to protest a nineteen-month period of unpaid salaries for about 50 staff.

[contextly_sidebar id=”VFO45I4RGaovlIrQvoGOKDoLS4yhuUxn”]The Branch Secretary of the Ghana Mines Workers Union Francis Owusu, told Citi News that the staff is owed to the tune of $2 million.

According to him, all efforts to reach the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to get him to address the plight have proven futile.

He said their protest is to get definite answers from the Minister as well as stakeholders in the mining sector on the matter.

“We are coming to picket in Accra because we sent a petition to the minister of lands and natural resources in April with regards to our unpaid salaries for almost 19 months and illegal mining activities which is ongoing here.  As we speak, we’ve not had any positive response from the ministry or any stakeholders. We are coming to demand answers from them,” he said.

The Owere Mines cover about 125 kilometers square of land.

The mine ceased operations some three years ago due to lack of investment funds for exploration.

Despite the campaign against illegal mining, workers at the Mine say illegal miners have invaded the site and carrying out the illegality.

In April 2017, Ghana Mines Workers’ Union at the Mines accused some directors of the Konongo Mines in the Asante Akyem Central Municipality of ceding some parts of the company’s mining concession to illegal miners.

In a letter addressed to the Minister, they alleged that the some of the directors were also conniving with some military personnel in the area to perpetuate the illegality.

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By: Caleb Kudah/citifmonloine.com/Ghana

The post Owere mine workers to picket Lands Ministry appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The late Obeng held various political and public positions in Ghana and worked closely with many politicians from both sides of the divide.

Mr Obeng served in the Rawlings administration and was a senior advisor to the late President John Mills and continued in a similar role under current President, John Mahama.

PV believed in Ghana – Nana Ato Dadzie

A former Chief of Staff under the Rawlings administration, Nana Ato Dadzie on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday stated that Ghana has lost a gem.

According to him, Mr. Obeng lived all his life in the public service and greatly contributed to the development of the nation.

“To think that he started as a private man, a private engineer and drifted into government…PV was a leader of the pack…he pulled all of us together, he developed ideas and moved the country forward,” he recalled.

He remarked that during the PNDC era, Mr. Obeng played a crucial role to move the country forward despite the challenges and hardships Ghanaians were experiencing.

Mr. Dadzie said the late PV Obeng was a firm believer in Ghana, “he was a patriot, a nationalist; he believed that there was a brighter future for Ghana. When you look back today at how far we’ve come, we are proud that we served.”

He further described the late senior presidential advisor  as “a consensus man, a bridge builder, he was the type of person who could rally people round and push us to forget our pain…and just move on.”

PV was not an extremist – John Ndebugri

A former PNDC secretary for the Northern Region, John Ndebugri said the news of the death of PV Obeng “was a shock to me…I just was speechless and I think that it is a tragedy for Ghana.”

He recalled that Mr. Obeng had earlier complained that “I [Ndebugri] am not in touch, I’m not in touch. Apparently, maybe he wanted us to meet for the last time but I think that it’s really, really tragic…and I still do not want to accept it that he is gone just like that.”

Mr. Ndebugri, who worked in the late PV Obeng’s office during the PNDC era, noted that his former boss was a moderate politcian who always brought people together.

These qualities, he said, is the possible reason “chairman Rawlings at that time relied so heavily on him because he was able to hold the middle ground and bring all forces to the center at least for negotiations.”

PV was a teacher – Moses Asaga

The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Moses Asaga on his part described the late PV Obeng as “an illustrious son of this country and I think that the NDC, government and the whole of Ghana have lost a baobab tree.”

He recollected that during his tenure as a deputy Finance Minister, “I worked closely with him; he taught me a lot of things, on how to manage the economy, etcetera.”

According to him, when the NDC was in opposition “I used to visit his home and then he will tell me what we must say or how to talk politely in Parliament, the issues that I must raise and that helped me a lot to have a balanced view as a ranking member for finance.”

PV had a huge brain capacity – Prof Akosa

A leading member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the Executive Director of Healthy Ghana, Professor Badu Akosa said although Mr. Obeng death came as a shock to him, it is not surprising for strong looking individuals to die unexpectedly.

“I have seen this in my daily schedule of work. It happens all the time in this country. People either go to the loo and don’t get up, those who are lucky are those who sleep and don’t get up.”

The late PV Obeng reportedly had an asthma attack while driving on the Spintex road which resulted in his death but according to Prof. Akosa, Mr. Obeng had never complained about this illness “but I thought that he has been asthmatic for all these years and that he will be on regular treatment.”

He remarked that Mr. Obeng’s schedule was huge “because every time you have a meeting with him, he will eventually get there but most of the time, he will make a few detours before he gets back to you. But the fact of the matter is that he never complained.”

Prof Akosa marveled at the brain capacity of the late Obeng and his phenomenal ability to remember happenings in Ghana in years past.

PV had a digital mind – Dr. Nii Moi Thompson

An economic advisor to the President, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson also on the Citi Breakfast Show said since he assumed this position, the late PV Obeng “is the one person that I have developed the closest working relationship with.”

According to him, PV Obeng had “a digital mind. While the rest of us are always going in circles, he always went straight to the point.”

Dr. Thompson recalled that his last interaction with him was at the National Economic Forum and “his last words to me were, ‘you know that you owe me’ and he was referring to a report.”

By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @osamidan

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