TUC turns NDC Away From Congress

Kumasi, Aug. 13, GNA- There was drama at the on-going Eight Quadrennial Congress of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), in Kumasi when the Union turned a representative of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), when it was his turn to outline the party's plans for Ghanaians workers when given the mandate in the 2008 elections.

The programme which was dubbed; "Flagbearers interacts with the TUC " aimed at creating a platform for Presidential Candidates of the various Political Parties to interact with members of the Union and share their vision with them.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am sorry to tell you we cannot allow Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni to give his presentation since letters sent by the TUC to parties specifically invited Flagbearers and no other person", Mr. Alex Bonney, the congress Chairman told the gathering .

This announcement, however, generated a heated argument among some activists of the party and leadership of the TUC.

While some of the activists claimed that Alhaji Mumuni was attending the congress on behalf of the NDC Flagbearer, the TUC leadership insisted that they would not allow him to even mount the podium since he was not qualified to do so.

Disturbed by the turn of events, Alhaji Mumuni, who was running mate to Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, in the 2004 elections had no other choice than to leave the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Great Hall, venue for the programme.

The teaming NDC supporters who were clad in the party's colours and had filled the hall also left amidst shouts of disappointment, threatening that they would henceforth impress upon their leaders to stay away from all events organized by the TUC.

When he took his turn, Dr.Paa Kwesi Ndoum, flagbearer of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), said his party will reform institutions using Science and Technology and Human Capital development to make government efficient to cut down expenditure and facilitate the work of the private sector when given the mandate in the 2008 elections. He gave the assurance that the CPP would redesign the system of Social welfare so that social security, pension, unemployment compensation, workers compensation for injury and death benefits become available to the Ghanaian worker.

"We will protect the rights of workers in the workplace just as we make sure that those who risk their capital in Ghana get a just reward for their investments, " he observed. Dr. Nduom lambasted successive governments in the past for mismanaging the economy and misplacing priorities that had increased the woes of the Ghanaian worker. He said he CPP would ensure job creation to bring jobs to the citizenry by giving soft loans to the private sector, using tax incentives to ensure that goods and services produced in Ghana have a market. The CPP flagbearer said he will work hard to improve Ghana's business climate to enable investment in job creation, so that the citizenry would stay at home to help develop the country and the economy. 13 Aug. 08