GROUP PETITIONS GOVERNMENT OVER GOLD FIELD RETRENCHMENT

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A group calling itself Concern Citizens of Tarkwa and its Environs are calling on government to as a matter of urgency step in and refrain Gold Fields from embarking on what they call “an insensitive retrenchment” and compel the mining company to honor obligations in the Development Agreement.

This was contained in a petition issued to government through the Municipal Chief Executive for Tarkwa  Hon. Kenneth Asmah on the 19th of January 2018 amidst a massive demonstration across the principal streets in the municipality.

The Development Agreement which was signed between Gold Fields and Government saw significant reduction in corporate taxes  from 35% to 32.2%  and royalty rate from 5% to 3%. The other side of the deal obliged the Mining Company to invest 2.5 billion to develop both the Tarkwa and Damang mines.

However, the group accuses Gold Field for reneging on the obligations accompanying the Development Agreement signed with the government after enjoying the benefits the agreement provides.

According to them “ one year on and after  these government fiscal incentives and other concession, Gold Field has the audacity to disregard its own obligation and promises and wants to resort  to an insensitive retrenchment in which more than 2,150 workers will lose their jobs and livelihood”


They argue among many things that Gold field when permitted to go on with the retrenchment processes will inherently defeat government’s quest to fighting illegal small scale mining in the country “since most young people venture into galamsey not because it is the most attractive, but often because they just want to make ends meet”

“Hence to allow over 2,150 worker and their families to be thrown into the already choked economy is most disastrous and suicidal”.

Below is copy of the Petition






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