Mine workers in Ghana, Egypt unite to change poor narrative of Africa's mineral resources

The Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU) and the General Trade Union of Mines, Quarries, Salinas and Energy Workers of Egypt, are pulling forces to ensure the Africa continent become great beneficiary of its mineral resources.

“We are collaborating and cooperating because we have a common agenda; to change the narrative that says Africa is endowed with all the mineral wealth, unfortunately we are the poorest of all continent in the world,” the General Secretary of the GMWU, Abdul- Moomin Gbana, said.

This was when a delegation from the General Trade Union of Mines, Quarries, Salinas and Energy Workers of Egypt (GTUMQSEW), paid a courtesy on the union in Accra.

The delegation was made up of Nageh Gomaa Hassan Eissa, General Secretary and Kamel Mohamed Fawzy Sherif Khedr, Ashraf Shehata Mohamed Abouzeid and Farouk Mohamed Mohamed Ali Elnaggar, all executive members.

Formation 

About a year ago, Mr Gbana said mine workers from Egypt conceived the idea for unions to come together, leading to the formation of the African Federation of Miners and Mineral Wealth, adding that it was an indigenous, localised and a domestic trade union in Africa representing Africa and its miners on the continent. 

“The only way we can put our best foot forward is for us to unite as a continent and so we have formed this federation. The head office of the Federation is in Cairo, Egypt,” he said.

“Our expectation is that in the next decade that is ahead of us, we must change the narrative around Global North exploiting the Global South and leaving us the crumbs,” he said, adding that “so our agenda as a federation is well cut out and we are going to work together as unions across the continent of Africa to ensure that the vision for this federation is realised”.

Mr Gbana, who is also the Deputy Secretary General of the Africa Federation of Miners and Mineral Wealth, was hopeful of the new body achieving its objectives.

Federation 

On his part, the General Secretary of the General Trade Union of Mines, Quarries, Salinas and Energy Workers of Egypt, Mr Nageh Gomaa Hassan Eissa, was hopeful the federation would inure to the benefit of mine workers on the continent.

Foreign companies, Mr Eissa, said came to Africa to exploit the continent’s natural resources and that was why the unions sought to establish a strong structure - African Federation of Miners and Mineral Wealth, to help reverse that.

Africa, he said, was the richest continent in the world and that the major goal of the federation was to secure the resources.

“Our major goal as unions in Ghana and Egypt is to make all the other unions in Africa to be affiliated to the African Federation,” he said, adding that although it was late, it was better late than never.

Another goal of the African Federation of  Miners and Mineral Wealth, Mr Eissa said was to establish joint investment companies.

The delegation from GTUMQSEW of Egypt later called on the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Secretary General, Joshua Ansah, in his office.

Mr Ansah described the vision of the African Federation of  Miners and Mineral Wealth as one that required the support of like minded institutions such as the TUC to help Africa enjoy better returns on its vast mineral resources.