By Eric Crentsil
In a bold effort to reclaim Africa’s mineral wealth for the benefit of its people, the African Federation of Miners and Mineral Wealth, is fostering stronger collaboration among trade unions across the continent. The Federation, being spearhead by the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMWU) of TUC-Ghana, and the General Trade Union of Mines, Quarries, Salinas, and Energy Workers of Egypt (GTUMQSEW), aims to unite Africa’s mining workforce to stop the exploitation of the continent’s resources by foreign powers.
The Federation, with the headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, was formed last year, as a direct response to the systemic inequality that has left Africa, a continent rich in mineral resources, but perpetually the poorest It seeks to address the imbalances by ensuring that Africa processes its minerals locally, adding value and creating jobs for its people.
Currently, a four-member delegation from GTUMQSEW led by Mr Nageh Gomaa Hassan Eissa, General Secretary, is in Ghana, to meet with their Ghanaian counterpart, the GMWU, to further advance the Federation’s objectives. The team is on a one week visit to Ghana from September 25th to 30th, 2024. The others, who are Executive Members of GTUMQSEW, are Kamel Mohamed Fawzy Sherif Khedr, Ashraf Shehata Mohamed Abouzeid, and Farouk Mohamed Mohamed Ali Elnaggar.
Speaking at a meeting with the delegation from the GTUMQSEW in Accra, the General Secretary of the GMWU, Abdul-Moomin Gbana, who also doubles as the Deputy Secretary General of the Federation said, “as trade unions in Africa, we recognize that there is much more we should be doing with our mineral resources, “For too long, the global North has exploited our resources at expense of the global south. This must change, and the African Federation of Miners and Mineral Wealth is the vehicle through which we will transform our mining industry.”
Mr. Gbana added, “We have come together to say enough is enough. It is time for Africa to take control of its resources. Our Federation is determined to ensure that our minerals benefit our people, not foreign interests.”
The Federation has brought together mining trade unions from countries such as Ghana, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, among others, with a leadership structure that is evenly distributed across the continent. “The head office is in Egypt, but we have representatives from all key mining countries. This demonstrates that we mean business,” Mr. Gbana stated. “Our goal is to change the narrative, and we will do so by uniting as Africans. The era of exploitation by the global North ends now.”
Mr. Nageh Gomaa Hassan Eissa, General Secretary of GTUMQSEW, echoed these sentiments, emphasising the need for Africa to retain control over its raw materials. “Our aim is to produce and manufacture our mineral resources right here in Africa,” he said. “We don’t want foreign investors to take our raw materials, process them in their countries, and sell them back to us at inflated prices. This is our major goal, and with strong collaboration across the continent, we will achieve it.”
Mr. Eissa, also revealed that the Federation plans to hold an African conference, bringing together union leaders and mining companies to sign protocols that will further solidify their goals. “We will sign agreements between African companies and trade unions to ensure our wealth stays in Africa,” he noted. “We believe that with unity, we can build a prosperous future for African workers.”
In support of this, the Federation aims to establish training and resource-sharing programmes among unions, to build capacity and exchange ideas on best practices. “The most important thing for us is to exchange visions, because we are brothers, we are Africans,” Eissa added.
Meanwhile, as part of the visit, the delegation also paid a courtesy call on the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (Ghana), Joshua Ansah. In his engagements with them, he applauded the initiative and highlighted the urgency of the Federation’s mission. He bemoaned among other things that “Our leadership in Africa has failed us, but as trade unions, we have a responsibility to rise up and fight for the rights of workers across the continent”. “We cannot sit idle while the wealth generated by our labour benefits others but us. It’s time we held our governments accountable for the mismanagement of our mineral resources.”
Mr. Ansah, further urged African unions to take control of their destiny, stating, “No one will fight for us unless we fight for ourselves. The extractive industry has exploited us for too long, but through unity and action, we can change this. If we want to sustain our economy and secure a future for our workers, we must use the right tools and work together to demand the rightful share of our resources.”
He ended with a rallying call: “We must rise up to the occasion and ensure that the Federation’s vision becomes a reality. If we stand together, I am confident that we will overcome and build a better future for all African workers.”
