PCG expresses concern about spate of labour unrest

The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Upper East Presbytery, has urged government, Fair Wages Commission and other stakeholders to work together to end the spate of labour unrest in the country.

The Church in a communique signed by its Chairperson, Reverend Esmond Wasau Nagbar, at the end of its third Annual Presbytery Conference, held at Nalerigu, said the only way the problem could be put to rest was for stakeholders to demonstrate commitment to agreements and rulings at various negotiations involving labour unions.

It appealed to the labour unions not to take entrenched positions but to allow the due process of negations to take place.

The statement said: “let us all remember that all parties are serving the supreme interest of Ghana”.

It called on members of the Ghana Medical Association, to remember their Hippocratic Oath and end their strike to save human lives

The communiqué also expressed concern about the nationwide power crisis, which according to it had brought untold hardships to both domestic and industrial users, who depend on power for productivity, profit and survival.

“Whilst commending government for the extension of the Aboadze terminal plant to boost power capacity, we wish to urge the government to refrain from misrepresentation of facts and realities surrounding the issue of power crisis for political expediency”, it said.

The communique asked the government to find a lasting solution to the energy crisis by ensuring that the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Volta River Authority deliver efficiently, and advised clients to use electricity wisely.

It commended Ghanaians for peacefully reacting to the results of the 2012 General Election, particularly the leadership of the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Party, who were resorting to the Supreme Court to settle an electoral dispute.

“The Presbytery urges the parties to remain calm while the Supreme Court acts diligently to bring the matter to rest”, the communiqué’ said.

It cautioned the people in conflict areas in the northern parts of the country to refrain from the use of violence, to settle disputes and rather resort to dialogue.

The communique’ commended President John Dramani Mahama for “ the recent ministerial swapping as a way of finding a lasting solution to agitations, and defusing tension surrounding appointees based on ethnic permutation”, and said it coincided with this year ‘s Christian Home Week, which had the theme “The Bible and National Cohesion “