I’m ready to close down Insight to support TUC demo – Pratt

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper has hinted that he is ready to close down the offices of his paper in support of the impending strike action against the utility tariff increment.

Speaking on a declaration of an industrial action slated for 18th November, 2013 on Metro TV’s ‘Good Morning Ghana’ programme, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. was surprised about the fact that government seem to be dragging its feet with regards to the demands of organized labour.

“It would be important for government to make concessions because this would not be like any other strike. This strike is supported fully by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which now I am told has about 17 affiliated unions.

“The Industrial and Workers Union, which broke away from the TUC is supporting the strike, the Ghana National Association of Teachers is supporting the strike, NAGRAT is supporting the strike, and many more. It is even possible that many people in the informal sector would join the strike action. In fact I am ready to close down the Insight in support of this strike action for November 18. So it is important that government should listen”, he warned.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr. Added that that the government has become very technocratic and should therefore take cognizance of rippling effects of the social and political decisions it makes.

He described the utility tariff increments as “atrocious” and added that, what even makes it worse is that, “these occur without regards to the call for improving efficiency and ending corruption in the utility services. It’s even worse still, when you realize that the increases are far more that 78%, especially with electricity”.

Mr. Pratt, however, maintained that government should take into account the concerns of organized labour because “the situation on the ground is not good at all and it’s important that government wakes up to its responsibility, it’s important that government listens to the cries of the people. People are really suffering in our country and government needs to do something about it”.