The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMU) last Friday awarded former President John Jerry Rawlings, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and two other persons for their contribution to the country’s mining industry.
The four persons were honored on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary celebrations of the Mineworkers Union.
A citation presented to the former President Rawlings acknowledged his personal involvement and “commitment to salvaging the then collapsing mining sector and transforming it into the enviable sector we see today.
Your demonstration of excellence, high standards of ethical conduct, integrity and, civic and social responsibility in those trying days made it possible for the mining sector to attract the needed Foreign Direct Investments for its transformation,” the citation read.
Presentation
Presenting a painting to former President Rawlings, the General-Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers Union, Prince William Ankrah said from 1981 to 2000, Flt Lt (retd) Rawlings initiated and implemented aggressive policies which stimulated investment in the minerals economy.
“The mining sector under his leadership received priority attention unrivalled by any under the Economic Recovery Programme in 1983,” he said.
According to him, Mr Rawlings’regime implemented specific sector policy reforms and also promulgated series of laws culminating in the creation of an effective regulatory framework that boosted foreign investments.
Appreciation
In his response, former President Rawlings paid tribute to late Paul Victor Obeng and other former appointees and awardees for their role in revitalizing the mining sector.
There were also posthumous awards for Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah; a former member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), Ebo Tawiah, and a former General Secretary of the Ghana Mineworkers Union, Mr. Dominic Foevie.