A colourful parade marks May Day

Accra, May 1, GNA - Thousands of elated workers, clad in T-shirts, on Saturday marched through some principal streets of Accra with the accompaniment of brass band music before converging at the Independence Square for the May Day Parade.

The pageantry displayed by the workers, mainly public and civil servants, was a delight to behold as they danced along carrying placards with various inscriptions including: "Freedom of speech should be respected" and "For a Better Ghana, never Delay the Single Spine Salary."

This year's celebration is being commemorated under the theme: "Consolidating Workers Solidarity and the Legacy of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah."

The workers groups that took part in the parade included the Communication Workers Union (CWU) of Ghana News Agency; Teachers and Educational Workers Union; Ghana Metrological Agency; Ghana Labour College; Ablekuma Grass-cutters Farmers Society Limited and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

Others were the Ghana Tourist Board; Stanbic Bank; Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT); Ga East Traders Union; Railways Workers Union and Ghana Federation of Labour.

President John Evans Atta Mills with some members of his Government; Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Traditional Rulers and Religious Leaders were at the Independence Square to witness the parade. Madam Janet Anum, Second Vice Chairperson of New Makola Market Traders Union, clad in white T-shirt and blue jeans trousers, in an interview with GNA, expressed gratitude to President Mills for his May Day message and pledged the Unions' support and resolve to contribute towards the realisation of the Government's Better Ghana development agenda.

She decried the lazy attitude of some workers in the public sector saying laziness derailed socio-economic development of the country and said hard work; integrity and honesty were virtues that were to be imbibed by all workers.

Mr Jonathan Gogovie, a driver at Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), who was also donned a white T-shirt and black trousers, expressed the hope that the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure in July, as promised by President Mills in his message, would alleviate the economic plight of workers in the public sector.

He said before its implementation, certain anomalies needed to be rectified and cited unpaid per-diems and other allowances of drivers. Mr Bashiru Fuseini, Executive Member of the Mamobi Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), said he was grateful to President Mills for his message but made an appeal that the impasse between the Union and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly should be resolved.

He said he was worried that issues relating to land rent and the determination of transport fares were often a recipe for conflict between AMA, the public and GPRTU and called for dialogue to end it.