Ghana Moves to Standardise Mining Contractor Pay Ahead of December Deadline

Ghana has ordered its mining regulator to standardise wages and employment conditions across the mining industry as multinational operators prepare to transfer more mining operations to local contractors by the end of 2026.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has directed the Minerals Commission to ensure that workers do not lose wages, allowances, benefits or other employment conditions when their jobs move from mining companies to contractors. The regulator must submit implementation proposals and establish a contractor classification system by 30 November 2026.

The directive affects major operators, including Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti, Zijin Mining and Ghana Manganese Company, as the government enforces its local-content requirements.

Protecting Workers as Local Contractors Take Over

Ghana introduced rules requiring surface mining operations to use fully Ghanaian-owned contractors, while underground mining must be handled by contractors or partnerships with at least 50% Ghanaian ownership.

The requirements form part of the country’s efforts to increase domestic participation in mining and retain more economic value within Ghana. However, the planned transition has raised concerns among mineworkers about lower salaries, weaker benefits and reduced job security under contractor employment.

The Ghana Mineworkers Union has warned that some contractors offer less favourable employment conditions than multinational mining companies. The government’s latest directive seeks to address those concerns by requiring contractor-employed workers to receive pay, allowances and benefits equivalent to those of employees performing comparable work before the transition.

Contractor Classification and Fair Competition

The Minerals Commission must also develop a classification system to assess contractors according to their capacity to deliver mining services.

The move follows concerns about aggressive bidding, with some contractors reportedly submitting prices below sustainable operating costs. Such practices can put pressure on wages, equipment maintenance, workforce training and mine safety.

The government has warned against bid-rigging, cartelisation, unfair labour practices and fronting, where businesses use nominal local ownership to bypass local-content requirements.

Newmont and Zijin are among the companies that have faced pressure to complete the transition, while AngloGold Ashanti has also been required to meet the compliance deadline. Companies that fail to comply risk regulatory sanctions.

The Minerals Commission’s 30 November deadline comes one month before the end-of-year deadline for the broader transition. Its new standards will determine how worker protections and contractor capacity are incorporated into Ghana’s mining supply chain.