Will Akufo-Addo declare a state of emergency two days to Organised Labour's nationwide strike?

GhanaWeb Feature by Patricia Rockson-Hammond

The leadership of Organised Labour has firmly stated that they will proceed with their planned nationwide strike on October 10 if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo fails to declare a state of emergency.

With just two days remaining, the key question on many people’s minds is: will the President make this declaration?

Illegal mining, also known as galamsey, has severely damaged Ghana’s forests and water bodies.

Currently, it is estimated that about 60% of the country’s water bodies have been polluted due to these illegal activities. Organised Labour is calling for urgent action, demanding a state of emergency, the revocation of L.I. 2462, and the deployment of the military to protect forest areas and water bodies from further destruction.

Joshua Ansah, spokesperson for Organised Labour, expressed disappointment that the president has not yet addressed their demands.

He stated, “We had a discussion with him and told him that by October 10, if nothing has been done, there will be a nationwide strike. The president discussed our demands with us, and what he is able to do, he has communicated.”

As it appears the strike will still happen, what are the various sectors that make up Organised Labour?

- Education Sector:

NAGRAT, GNAT, and TEWU, representing over 300,000 teachers, are poised to strike.

- Health Sector:

The Ghana Medical Association, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Health Services Workers Union, Government Hospitals Pharmacist Association, and Ghana Anaesthetists Association—comprising over 30,000 health workers—are also set to join the strike.

- Civil and Public Servants:

Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOSAG) and the Public Service Workers Union, representing more than 60,000 workers, are planning to strike.

Additionally, unions such as the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union, Ghana Mine Workers Union, Construction and Building Material Workers Union, General Agriculture Workers Union, and Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) have rallied over 100,000 members for the cause.

GPRTU and other public transport unions have also joined the campaign.

In total, over 700,000 workers are calling on the president to declare a state of emergency or risk facing a nationwide strike on October 10.

What does it mean for the President to declare a state of emergency?

According to Wikipedia, a state of emergency is a situation where the government is empowered to implement policies that would not ordinarily be allowed, for the safety and protection of its citizens.

In this case, the primary goal of declaring a state of emergency would be to protect Ghana's forests and water bodies by halting all forms of illegal mining activities.

But the big question remains, will President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo declare a state of emergency?