Organized Labour has declared that it will embark on a nationwide strike starting on 10th October for the government’s failure to ban small-scale mining. The leadership of the unions has asked all workers to join the strike.
Organized Labour on September 11 issued a statement demanding that the government bans small-scale mining. A meeting by the ad-hoc interministerial committee failed to address their concerns, hence the nationwide issue.
Spokesperson of Organised Labour, Joshua Ansah said galamsey activities have decimated land and destroyed water bodies. Mr Joshua Ansah addressed journalists after a closed-door meeting. “Following the expiration of our deadline and the failure of government to meet our demands on illegal mining that is galamsey, Organised Labour has decided to declare a nationwide strike with effect from October 10, 2024”.
We are therefore calling on all workers to stay at home starting Thursday, October 10, 2024 until the government accedes to our demands”. Other Union leaders including General Secretary of Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) said, the impact of the strike will be dire.
“So as Organised Labour we will not sit down but take the fight to the galamsey operators and deal with them.”
“But we expect that the first gentleman of the land who has executive powers should lead because institutions govern this country, so if you want to deal with this menace we need to come together as stakeholders and we do not expect government alone because this did not start from this current regime,” he said.
“So, we expect all of us Ghanaians, political parties to join so that we don’t risk importing water from abroad”.
By: Daniel Opoku
