Ghana Mineworkers petition Akufo-Addo over FGR’s mining lease

The Ghana Mineworkers Union has petitioned President Nana Akufo-Addo over the mining lease of Future Global Resources(FGR) Limited, the operators of the Bogoso-Prestea Mines.

The petition on Monday, September 16, 2024, follows the expiration of a 120-day notice amidst a series of picketing.

The company was given 120 days to raise the capital, revamp the Mine and ensure that it operates to full capacity.

Additionally, it was given two weeks to commence the payment of all outstanding salaries owed to workers, and to complete the payment of outstanding salaries not later than 30th May 2024.

Among other things, FGR was to submit evidence, to the satisfaction of the Lands Minister and the Minerals Commission, of financial resources available to pay creditors and operate the Mine.

The Minister’s letter according to the union specifically stated that “should the Company fail to meet any of the above conditions, the Conditional Approval given shall be deemed revoked, and the Mining Leases terminated without further recourse to the Company.”

But the petition read by the General Secretary, Abdul-Moomin Gbana, has said that the 120 days notice expired on August 17, 2024.

However, not a single condition contained in the Minister’s Conditional Approval, has been met or complied with by FGRBPL.

In view of this, the union is demanding that the President ensures that the Minister’s conditional approval issued to FGRBPL dated 17th April 2024 is fully enforced without any further delay.

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Read the full petition below:

PETITION SUBMITTED ON 16TH SEPTEMBER 2024 TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA BY THE GHANA MINEWORKERS’ UNION FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF THE 120-DAY NOTICE CONDITIONAL APPROVAL ISSUED TO  FUTURE GLOBAL RESOURCES BOGOSO-PRESTEA MINE ON 17TH APRIL 2024

1. As you aware, the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union and over 400 of our members embarked on demonstrations/picketing on April 25 & 26, 2024 at the premises of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the precincts of the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana to draw the attention of government to happenings at Future Global Resources Bogoso-Prestea Mine and to demand the termination/cancellation of mining leases and the Bogoso-Prestea Mine put on sale. These demands were contained in our petition presented to you on 25th April 2024.
2. Indeed, on April 25, 2024, the Minister of Lands & Natural Resources addressed the Union and its members at the premises of the Ministry during which he assured us of government’s commitment to protect the interest of workers, and the inhabitants of the Bogoso-Prestea communities.
3. Later the same day (April 25, 2024), the Minister issued a press statement captioned – “Government gives FGR Hard Deadline to Revamp Mine as Minister Assures Workers of Government’s Commitment to their Welfare and the Revamping of the Mine” .

4. Key highlights contained in his press statement included;

1. That by a letter dated 17th April 2024 and signed by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, the Company was given one hundred and twenty (120) days to raise the capital, revamp the Mine and ensure that it operates to full capacity.

2024. That the Company has been given two weeks to commence the payment of all outstanding salaries owed to workers, and to complete the payment of outstanding salaries not later than 30th May 2024.

• The Company is to submit evidence, to the satisfaction of the Minister and the Minerals Commission, of financial resources available to pay creditors and operate the Mine, within the said one hundred and twenty (120) days, and to ensure the Mine is fully operational before the expiration of the said one hundred and twenty (120) days.

1. The Minister’s letter specifically states that “ should the Company fail to meet any of the above conditions, the Conditional Approval given shall be deemed revoked, and the Mining Leases terminated without further recourse to the Company.

Breach of the Conditional Approval by FGRBPL

5. The 120 days notice expired on August 17, 2024. Astonishingly, not a single condition contained in the Minister’s Conditional Approval, has been met or complied with by FGRBPL.
6. Therefore, going by the Minister’s letter of April 17, 2024, “ should the Company fail to meet any of the above conditions, the Conditional Approval given shall be deemed revoked, and the Mining Leases terminated without further recourse to the Company”.
7. It therefore goes without saying that since FGR failed to meet all these conditions at the end of the 120-day notice, the Conditional Approval is deemed revoked and the Mining Leases terminated without recourse to the Company.
8. Quite interestingly, a letter sighted by the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union dated August 15, 2024 (copy attached) and addressed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources by the Minerals Commission, provided a vivid situational report of the operations of FGR Bogoso Prestea Limited with focus on its compliance with the conditions stated in the Minister’s letter of April 17, 2024.
9. In that letter to the Minister, the Commission stated among other things that “FGRBPL has failed or refused to meet any of the time-bound conditions the Minister imposed on the Company when he granted the conditional approval on April 17, 2024”.

• Therefore, “based on this failure or refusal, and on the strength of the Minister’s April 17, 2024 letter, FGRBPL stands divested of the Bogoso-Prestea mineral rights”.

11. The Commission also stated in its letter that “by the expiry of the extended period, a period of one year would have gone by since the initial “Notice to Remedy the Breach of Mining Leases” dated August 14, 2023 was served on FGRBPL for various and repeated breaches of the terms and conditions of its mineral rights”.
12. The Commission further stated that “the Company’s repeated request for time to meet its obligations and its consistent failure to do so even after the extensions have been granted, is an attempt by the Company to hang onto the mineral rights by any means possible”.
13. From the foregoing, it is palpably clear that FGRBPL has failed to comply with the Minister’s Conditional Approval of 17th April 2024.
14. Therefore, the claims by FGR that the Bogoso-Prestea Mines are opened for business when the Company knows that it has no EPA and Mining Operating Permits to do so, makes such claims not only factually inaccurate but a deliberate ploy to hoodwink everybody, in order to hang onto the mineral rights by any means possible.

Demands of the Union

15. We demand that the President ensures that the Minister’s Conditional Approval issued to FGRBPL dated 17th April 2024 is fully enforced without any further delay.