Govt places premium on employment creation

Prestea (W/R), Nov. 4, GNA - Mr Yaw Barimah, Minister of Manpower Development and Employment, at the weekend said government had placed premium on employment and wealth creation in its policies towards economic development.

He said to achieve the objective, government would ensure improved private sector investment and increased productivity and efficiency at the enterprise level.

Mr Barimah was speaking at the inauguration of a 667.4 million-cedi labour office and public employment centre built by Bogoso Gold Limited (BGL) at Prestea.

He said apart from negotiating with representatives of labour unions at the enterprise level, many organisations had organised durbars for workers and employers to discuss enterprise goals and workers' concerns.

Mr Barimah, who is also Member of Parliament (MP) for Koforidua, said: "Industrial peace and harmony are obviously the key to the attainment of economic growth and prosperity."

The Minister said he was encouraged by BGL's policy of periodically requesting consultants to brief workers on the financial status of the company prior to collective bargaining agreement negotiations. This, he said, would enable workers and their employers to engage in meaningful negotiations, adding: "This is a practical demonstration of the efficacy of dialogue in promoting industrial harmony, which the labour department under this ministry is committed to."

Mr Barimah assured management and board of BGL that government would do its best to provide favourable conditions to facilitate mining operations.

Mr Neil Stevenson, Acting General Manager, said BGL would construct a treatment plant for processing gold in the Bondaye area near Prestea. He said the Prestea mine, which was under maintenance, would be reopened to create employment avenues for the people. Mr Stevenson said BGL had re-gravelled roads linking Bronikrom and Kutukrom and other farming communities to facilitate economic activities, especially the carting of farm produce to the market centres.

Mr Albert Kwaku Obbin, MP for Prestea/Huni-Valley appealed to the BGL to consider recruiting more labour from the area and to increase its budget for community development.

Osagyefo Kwamina Enimil VI, the Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, urged BGL to expedite action on the reopening of the mine so that the people could be employed.

He commended BGL for embarking on the Alternative Livelihood Programme aimed at creating employment opportunities, wealth and ensuring sustainable economic activities after the closure of the mine.