Ghana's VALCO workers protest over alleged sale

Workers at the state‑owned Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) in Tema staged a protest on July 27, 2026, demanding the government drop plans to sell or privatise the aluminium producer. The Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union (ICU) Ghana, led by General Secretary Morgan Ayawine, warned that a sale could jeopardise jobs and Ghana’s industrial development, calling VALCO a strategic national asset.

The Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), which oversees VALCO, says it is not selling the firm but is considering a co‑ownership model with a private investor. Union leaders remain sceptical, calling for the dismissal of GIADEC CEO Reindorf Twumasi Ankrah and insisting any arrangement must protect workers and retain state ownership.