Tarkwa, Dec. 16, GNA-Ex-workers of Goldfields Ghana Limited (GGL) have threatened to invade the company's premises if their grievances are continually ignored by the company.

According to them, the mining company refused to pay them

interests on their provident fund earnings although a favourable

verdict was given by a High Court on the matter. Mr. William Atinka, spokesman of the ex-workers, led the

aggrieved persons to present a petition to Mrs Christina Cobbinah,

Municipal Chief Executive of Tarkwa-Nsuaem , for onward transmission to President John E. A. Mills. Mr. Atinka said the management of the company in various

meeting that spanned 17 months agreed to pay them 20,000 Ghana

cedis but this has not been implemented. He said Mr. Anthony E. Amoah, former Western Regional

minister and Messrs Smith Holdbrook, Mr. Mubashir T. Dari, Dr.

Tony Aubynn, Gerald Boakye, Mr. Steve Yirenkyi and Keningan

participated in series of meetings and various agreements reached

during such meetings included the decision of management to pay

them 20,000 Ghana cedis, employ the ex-workers, compensate the

aged and widows but these promises were never fulfilled. Mr. Atinka said though various attempts had been made to get

these promises fulfilled, nothing positive has been done. He called on the management of the company and the government

to take decisive steps to prevent any incident Mr. Atinka said they have been told by the Police that they could

not present a petition to the management of Goldfields as had earlier

been agreed upon. He said though the Police had approved their routes and given

them the necessary support, the attempt to stop them from going to

the gate of the company was a deliberate attempt to frustrate them. "We will comply with the directive but if by January 15, nothing

positive has come out of our petition, we shall invade the premises of

the company and will be willing to die there", they threatened. The ex-workers who were laid off in 1999 said the company failed

to give them three months notice as stipulated in the collective

bargaining agreement (CBA) while the contents of the CBA were also

amended without the knowledge of the workers.