Mineworkers demand peaceful 2016 elections

The Ghana Mineworkers Union says businesses and investors in the country will be protected from any threat of electoral violence when decency is upheld in the political discourse.

In the run up to Ghana’s general elections in December 2016, there have been increasing calls for peace to prevail in the electioneering processes. General Secretary of the Mineworkers Union, Prince William Ankrah, says such calls should not be taken for granted.

“As Unions, the necessary condition for work is peace. Therefore, there cannot be work without peace. As working people, it is therefore important to call on all political parties and their commentators to approach this year’s election with peace at the centre of the discourse,” he said.

Prince Ankrah noted that intemperate language and any action or inaction detrimental to the peace and security of the country must be eschewed at every stage of the elections. He expects workers to become ambassadors of peace as the country, while drawing on lessons from other African countries like Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, who use to run very vibrant mining economies but suffered devastation from war.

“We therefore wish to call on all major actors, including the Electoral Commission, political parties, civil societies and all well meaning Ghanaians to join the crusade in ensuring we deliver on a successful general election,” said Prince Ankrah.

He was addressing the National Executive Council Meeting of the Mineworkers Union in Kumasi.

Industry optimism

Amidst an unprecedented pace of commodity price slump, rising cost of businesses and startling threats of redundancies starring everywhere, Ghana’s mining industry looked gloomy with predictions of a potential crush of the sector by end of 2015.

But Prince Ankrah points to a positive outlook with the recent jump in the price of gold on the world market. Gold price has recorded a 22.19% increase the beginning of 2016.

“Even more refreshing, is the latest bullish prediction that gold price may likely hit $1500 by the close of this year. This is certainly good news for industry participants,” he said.

He is hopeful “these emerging trends in the commodity price outlook will continue and get even better going forward, so that a lot more jobs can be created for our teeming young men and women, boost the prospects of the Union and also contribute to strengthening the ailing economy”.