The Convention Peoples' Party has thrown its support for Labour’s nationwide demonstration, which is set to rock the country today Thursday July 24.
The one-day demonstration is to protest against what Organised Labour has described as biting economic conditions in spite of appeals from government for a rethink.
In a statement, the party said, “CPP salutes the TUC and our workers nationwide for showing courage and leadership in these challenging times."
"The CPP’s position on the economy tallies with that of the Trades Union Congress," the statement signed by its Director for Communications Nii Akonfrah said.
Read full statement below
CPP SUPPORTS THE WORKERS OF GHANA
The CPP is deeply concerned over the ever-worsening state of our nation’s economy and the great sacrifices which the workers of this country are making daily, against all odds, to stabilize the national labour front and to protect the national economy from total collapse.
As historical allies of the workers movement in our country, the CPP will always remain steadfast in standing in solidarity with workers in their legitimate struggle and demand for economic and social justice for all Ghanaians. We therefore support our workers right to demonstrate and protest to express their frustration at the direction and state of our economy.
The CPP’s position on the economy tallies with that of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
One of the main reasons for our present economic predicament is the absence of a programme of self-help and self-reliance as begun by the CPP lead by Dr Kwame Nkrumah, decades ago in order to stop us from being the providers of raw material and importers of expensive manufactured goods.
The CPP’s mission in Ghana is to re-activate our agenda for freedom by continuing the work of Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana and Africa. Our objective is to realize complete social, economic and political and cultural emancipation.
This means reviving the hundreds of manufacturing plants, including TOR which has been neglected by governments over the years, planning for our development, putting the Ghanaian at the commanding heights of the economy, delivery of basic needs including quality, compulsory and free education linked to industry, and re-awakening our consciousness to our ability as Africans to manage our own affairs with fairness and compassion to all.
We support the TUC’s call for our economy to be managed differently so as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every Ghanaian.
Our manufacturing and agricultural sectors are suffering as a result of accelerated trade liberalization. Opting for austerity measures has led to higher utility tariffs and hikes in prices of petroleum products that are causing a serious drop in the quality of life of the workers and people of Ghana.
Like the TUC, we believe the current trend of the economy is suffocating businesses, worsening the unemployment situation and loss of more jobs, and is responsible for the price hikes and economic hardship. Our current economic growth strategy of inflation targeting and fiscal austerity is stifling growth and deepening our economic dependence.
Our economy cannot continue to mainly serve as a market for the manufactured goods of others while consolidating an economic and financial dependency that inflicts hardships on our people.
Over-dependence on imports is largely the cause of our trade deficit and rising unemployment rate.
For years we have as a country always imported more than we export and this has led to persistence balance of trade deficit. This has put unbearable pressure on the value of our currency and exchange rate.
We then borrow from the international financial markets to largely support a national budget that is more concerned with consumption rather than for productive ventures. This is a situation which is draining us and unsustainable
Today we need the most committed, loyal and dedicated citizens to overturn decades of dependency, mismanagement and a visionless approach to development.
It is a principled Nkrumaist position to reject all polices that compromise our sovereignty as a nation and deny us a self-reliant process of development.
Let us re-dedicate ourselves to the mission we inherited from our founding fathers and mothers to complete the unfinished business of re-activating our sense of self-determination, self-reliance, and self-mobilization to transform our society, sustain our economy and ensure justice and fair opportunities to all Ghanaians.
The CPP salutes the TUC and our workers nationwide for showing courage and leadership in these challenging times. The great toil and labour of our workers continue to sustain the nation in the struggle to attain social security and economic independence for all Ghanaians.
Samia Yaba Nkrumah,
National Chairman and Leader
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