Eighteen national unions including some organizations in the Western region have marked this year’s May Day celebration in Tarkwa.
Some of the workers paraded through the principal streets of Tarkwa dancing and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Make teaching attractive”, “Pay all arrears due teachers” and “No polities of insult or any form of violence”.
The participating groups include the Maritime and dock workers union, National Association of Teachers, Teachers and Educational Workers Union of Ghana, Ghana Manganese Company Limited, Audit Service, Takoradi Flour Mill Limited, State Housing Corporation and Health Service Workers Union.
The others are the China Railway Co-operation, Intertek Mineral Limited, Egem Services Limited, Public Service workers Union, Timber Wood Workers Union and Local Government Workers Union.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Election 2012: The role of workers in securing peaceful and fair elections.”
Addressing the gathering at the Tarkwa Senior High school park on Tuesday, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, said May Day celebrations are set aside worldwide to celebrate the achievement of the working class, review their performance and look forward to a more prosperous future.
He said it had been the hardworking efforts in the mine, cocoa and rubber fields, fishing, transport, telecommunication and the other sectors of the economy that has provided the wherewithal for the infrastructural development of the nation.
According to the Regional Minister, in Ghana, the size of labour, both formal and informal, constitutes a huge chunk of the population, adding that, their influence in many national decision-making processes cannot be over emphasized.
Mr. Aidoo appealed to the labour unions to ensure that their front dispels any action that could endanger the peace the nation is enjoying, as they prepare for election.
He called on workers to remain calm in the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) as government has encountered challenges in processing them onto the system.
The Regional Minister tasked managers of the public sector to keep expenditure under control and not to commit funds to unapproved projects, stressing that, this has the effect of keeping expenditure in check in order not to destabilize the currency with its consequent rise in inflation.
Mrs. Christina Cobbinah, Municipal Chief Executive of Tarkwa Nsueam, entreated Ghanaians to ensure that the ongoing biometric registration exercise and the elections in December 7 do not turn the country into needless battle.
She said anybody who commits any offense within this period must be dealt with by the law irrespective of one’s political or ethnic affiliations.
Mrs. Cobbiah called on the leadership of the various labour unions to educate its members about not allowing themselves to be used by selfish politicians for their own ends.
Thirty deserving workers, who have contributed to the development of the Western Region and the nation at large, were given awards.
The award winners received fridges, laptops and mobile phone along with citations.**
