Shut down Western Steel Company- TDCL

Tema, April 28, GNA - The Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL) has called for the shut down of the Western Steel Company, situated at the heavy industrial area, following the recent gas explosion there.

The explosion led to 13 of the Company's employees sustaining serious burns. Mr Wilson Agana, Chairman of the TDCL said Labour Authorities and other stakeholders must shut down the company until its management put in place the necessary safety measures for workers.

He said last week's incident was the third to occur at the factory within a relatively short time.

He made the call on Thursday, during a May Day symposium and the general meeting of the Council.

Mr Agana said workers deserved conducive workplaces to ensure effectiv= e productivity, and urged employers to endeavour to respect the rights of workers.

Mr Kofi Asamoah, Secretary-General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), appealed to workers to tackle occupational safety and health issues seriously, just as they do for salary increment.

Mr Asamoah, who was speaking on this year's May Day theme: 93Decent= Work For Sustainable Development," said workers must demand safety gadgets, and must be ready to demand decent working conditions. He stated that workers must put premium on safety, in order to avoid being liabilities to their families after retiring from their jobs. The TUC Sec-Gen also reiterated the call on government and employers t= o create more jobs to absorb the majority of unemployed youth. He reminded stakeholders that the upheavals in the northern part of Africa arose due to unemployment, adding that, the greatest problem facing governments and people of developing countries was unemployment. Mr Asamoah pointed out that, even though politicians always talked about tackling unemployment in their manifestoes, nothing concrete was bein= g done to solve the problem.

He indicated that the number of unemployed and street hawkers must remind governments to put premium on creating more decent jobs for the teeming populace.

Mr Joseph Amoa, Head of Industrial Relations of the Ghana Employers Association, stated that the International Labour Organization has put in place four pillars to ensure decent work.

Mr Amoa mentioned the four pillars as creating of jobs, social dialogue, social protection and workers rights.

He added that work was a source of personal dignity, therefore any wor= k that did not ensure the dignity of the worker, was not a decent one. Nii Armah Ashietey, Greater-Accra Regional Minister, reminded workers that the development of Ghana was a collective responsibility of all and sundry.

Nii Ashietey urged workers not to use the May Day celebration only as a forum to agitate for better salaries and working conditions, but should als= o strive to increase their work output. He said increase in salaries and wages would automatically follow the enhancement of productivity. The Minister entreated workers to resolve to re-dedicate themselves to duty, and eschew laziness, absenteeism and the use of official hours for private business. Mr Robert Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive assured workers that the Assembly was doing its best to ensure that the Metropolis, which is the industrial hub of the country, became very safe for workers. 28 April 11

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