Government has issued further policy directives on contract mining to safeguard workers’ rights, conditions of service and welfare during the transition from owner mining to contract mining.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in a press release dated October 21, 2026, said the measures were intended to ensure the effective implementation of Ghana’s contract mining policy.

Under the directive, indigenous Ghanaian companies are to undertake contract mining for surface mining operations.

For underground operations, contract mining must be undertaken through a partnership in which a Ghanaian-owned company holds at least 50% interest.

The requirement was formally incorporated into the 6th Edition of the Local Procurement List with effect from January 1, 2025, under the Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2020 (LI 2431).

The ministry said the majority of multinational mining companies operating in Ghana had successfully transitioned their operations into compliance.

However, it said concerns had been raised by the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union, human resource experts and other stakeholders about the potential impact of the transition on workers’ salaries, wages and conditions of service.

The ministry said it and the Minerals Commission had subsequently held consultations with the leadership of the union, industry experts and other relevant stakeholders.

“These engagements have clarified the regulatory and policy basis of the contract mining directive and reaffirmed the Government’s firm position that no worker shall be rendered worse off as a consequence of its implementation,” the statement said.

It added that “the Ghanaian contract mining worker shall enjoy salaries, wages, allowances, benefits and other incentives equivalent to those applicable to an owner mining worker performing comparable work before the transition to contract mining.”

To give effect to the safeguards, the government has directed the Minerals Commission to ensure that no worker engaged, or to be engaged, by a mining contractor or analogous service provider suffers any deterioration or diminution in wages, emoluments, entitlements, benefits or conditions of service as a result of the transition.

The commission has also been directed to take steps to harmonise salaries, wages and conditions of service across the mining industry value chain.

Eligible contractors are to be categorised according to their capacity to provide mining-related services.

The ministry said the measures are supplementary to existing regulatory requirements and do not prevent the Minerals Commission from taking further lawful action to advance the objectives of the Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2020 (LI 2431).

The Minerals Commission is required to conclude all processes necessary for implementing the measures and submit the requisite documents for approval by November 30, 2026.

The ministry further warned that there would be “ZERO TOLERANCE for unfair labour practices, cartelisation, bid rigging, fronting, or any other conduct that undermines local content objectives or operates to the detriment of the Ghanaian worker.”

“The Government remains resolute in ensuring fairness, transparency, genuine Ghanaian participation and the protection of workers across the mining industry value chain,” it said.