The Communications Director for the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer and Vice President, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has asserted that the members of the Trades Union Congress would pose a greater threat than illegal miners if they proceed with their proposed strike action.
He emphasized that such a strike would exacerbate the current state of disorder, anarchy, and lawlessness in the country. In response, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, confirmed that the planned nationwide strike by Organized Labour, set to commence on Thursday, October 10, is proceeding as scheduled.
During a media briefing, he stated that unless the government takes significant measures, Organized Labour will move forward with the strike.
We have concluded as follows: our strike remains unchanged, we are of the view that what the government has proposed does not adequately address our demands, and therefore our notice of strike remains unchanged.
Organized Labor’s requests encompass the declaration of a state of emergency regarding all types of small-scale mining, the establishment of more stringent regulatory measures to safeguard water bodies, and the repeal of L.I. 2462, which permits mining activities within forest reserves.
The unions contend that the existing legislation is insufficient and that the government must adopt a more proactive approach to ensure adherence and protect the nation’s natural resources.
However, during an appearance on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ program, Mr. Aboagye articulated that the actions proposed by the trades union congress would ultimately bring the country to a standstill, resulting in Ghanaians being deprived of vital services such as healthcare and social support, among others.
When you do this, you are not different from those destroying water bodies and the forest reserves.
The NPP administration has implemented numerous initiatives to combat the issue at hand, demonstrating that the government is indeed concerned. It is essential for all stakeholders, including the different political parties, to articulate their positions and outline their strategies for addressing the galamsey crisis. Resorting to threats of civil strike action against the government will only exacerbate the situation.
