UMA-Subika’s majority-local workforce sets a new benchmark for Ghanaian mining

For decades, the narrative surrounding heavy industrial mining across developing economies was defined by a stark paradox: immense mineral wealth extracted from local soils, juxtaposed against host communities left on the margins of technical employment. Today, contract mining operations are rewriting that narrative from the ground up. At the epicenter of this shift is the Underground Mining Alliance (UMA), a globally recognised contract mining firm operating at Newmont’s Ahafo South Mine.

Over the past eight years, UMA has moved beyond superficial corporate social responsibility (CSR) gestures, establishing a structural employment model that prioritises local labor across every operational tier. Currently, UMA employs more than 320 direct workers sourced directly from its 10 primary host communities – Yamfo, Susuanso, Terchire, Adrobaa, Afrisipakrom, Gyedu, Wamahinso, Ntotroso, Kenyasi No. Representing 52 percent of the company’s total workforce, these local employees signify a pivotal benchmark in the transition toward localised industrial capacity in West Africa.

The friction between host community expectations and specialised skill requirements has historically been a flashpoint across mining jurisdictions worldwide. UMA’s operational model directly addresses this gap through continuous skill development and strategic technical partnerships. “Our company recognises that responsible mining is not only about the extraction of gold, but also about creating lasting benefits in the communities where we operate,” says Bertha Yeboah, Human Resource Supervisor of UMA-Subika.

“UMA is committed to hiring locally, building skills, and supporting long-term careers. We maintain a recruitment policy that gives strict preference to skilled and unskilled applicants from host communities, contributing directly to local economic resilience.” Rather than limiting local recruitment to unskilled labor, UMA provides clear advancement pathways into specialised engineering and leadership roles. Since 2018, in partnership with operator Newmont, UMA has delivered specialised underground operational training to local trainers across host communities under the 3LP initiative.

Furthermore, a landmark technical partnership with OEM giant Sandvik provides hands-on, high-grade mechanical training on heavy underground machinery. Initiated in 2024, the UMA-Sandvik …