Ghanaian trade unionists woo Chinese investors

Trade unionists who participated in a seminar on Multi-National Operations in Africa in Beijing, China, have called on Chinese investors to help create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in Ghana.

They asked the investors to consider the proposed agricultural industrialisation plan of the country and other viable ventures, which would contribute to the country’s economic growth.

Mr Pious Kweku Quainoo, General Secretary, Construction Building Material Workers Union, who made the call in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the seminar attracted participants from Liberia, Botswana, Kenya, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

He said the event expressed concern about the human rights abuse of workers such as the arbitrary ban on some of them not to belong to trade unions by their senior management and sub letting of contracts by companies in order to engage casual labourers.

Mr Quainoo asked governments to ensure that offenders respect the International Labour Organisation’s employment standards.

Mr Cao Jiachang, China’s Deputy Director General, Department of Asia and African Affairs, observed that in order to avoid crisis, Africa must create jobs for the youth through industrialisation, and strive to reduce high inflation rates.

Mr Zhou Pingjian, China’s Deputy Director General for African Affairs, said his country would perform its vision in Africa on shared interest without imposing its will.

This, he said, would be in the field of industrialisation, trade development and harmonious labour relationships.