President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Organised Labour to reconsider its planned nationwide strike, set for October 10, while assuring them of his commitment to addressing their concerns regarding illegal mining popularly known as galamsey, according to a citinewsroom.com report.
The appeal is reported to have been made during a closed-door meeting on Thursday, October 3, 2024, with key union leaders, where the environmental devastation caused by illegal mining was a primary focus.
According to the report, President Akufo-Addo requested more time to resolve the issues raised by the unions, pleading with them to delay their planned industrial action.
Organised Labour has been increasingly vocal about the government’s perceived inadequate efforts to combat illegal mining, which has led to severe environmental degradation, particularly the contamination of water bodies and the destruction of forest reserves.
The unions insist that immediate and effective action is needed to address the galamsey menace, warning that failure to do so will have dire consequences for Ghana’s natural resources.
However, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Kenneth Koomson, speaking on News Night on October 3, confirmed that while the President's plea was acknowledged, the unions are waiting for concrete action before reconsidering their strike plans.
“I was expecting the President to speak authoritatively, but honestly, he pleaded with us to reconsider the strike, expressing concern that it could harm the country at this time,” Koomson said.
However, he emphasised that the real issue at stake is the pollution of water bodies, a problem that affects all Ghanaians.
TWI NEWS
AM/KA
Watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below:
Copyright © 1994 - 2024 GhanaWeb. All rights reserved.
