Sunyani, Sept. 8, GNA - The General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU), Mr Prince William Ankrah has lauded Government for the successful divestiture of the Ghana Consolidated Diamond Company at Akwatia for investors to revamp the company.

He specifically mentioned the bold step President Atta Mills-led administration took to settle the payment of the severance award to the former GCD workers.

Mr Ankrah told journalists: "We are happy that the government has delivered on its promise and for once there is a definite deal between an owner of the Akwatia Mines, something that has been on the drawing board for close to fifteen years."

The General Secretary was addressing the journalists after the election of new national executives for the Union at the 10th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the Ghana Mineworkers' Union, GMWU at the Brong Ahafo regional capital, Sunyani which ended recently.

Mr. Prince William Ankrah said securing an investor for GCDL was an exciting situation, adding 93I have had my own frustration where you sit on a committee and you select a company, they go and do not come back. My plea is that the new investor will come on board with the requisite mind set to care for the workers and not to exploit them, because they will be dealing with a very strong and focused GMWU leadership."

He added that the GMWU would equally work to ensure that the investor made good returns on the investment in GCDL as that would help to grow the Ghanaian economy.

The GMWU General Secretary noted that Akwatia had suffered a lot and GMWU would do what it could to reverse the poor state of affairs in the area.

GMWU, he said, therefore proposed the establishment of a fund that would help to tackle the Akwatia's infrastructural and other developmental needs and challenges.

The clarion call by GMWU is that All mining companies should take the necessary measures and plan sustainable projects and programmes, so that beyond mining, the communities can still have a guarantee socio-economic livelihood.

"The current situation of seeing the once vibrant mining communities now being ghost towns and pale shadows of their former status is an indictment on major stakeholders in the mining sector for failing to plan what happens after mining is over."

Mr. Kwarko Mensah Gyakari was elected the new National Chairperson. The General Secretary position went to Mr. Prince William Ankrah, Deputy General Secretary, Mr Eric Kwabena Gyimah, Mr. Abdul Moomin Gbana, First National Vice Chairperson, Mrs Philomena Aba Sampson, Second National Vice Chairperson, Mr. Fredrick Aniagyei, First National Trustee, James Ackah, Second National Trustee and Mr. William Bart-Plange, Porter-Chaplain.

An eleven-member Finance Committee was also elected. Officials of the Brong Ahafo Regional Directorate of the Electoral Commission conducted the election.

The new executives and the Finance Committee members were sworn into office by the Secretary General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, Mr. Kofi Asamoah.