ICU backs Organised Labour strike against galamsey

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) has backed the industrial action to be undertaken by Organised Labour to deal with the galamsey menace in the country.

It said it would not sit aloof for the destruction of the environment and water bodies and thus, pledged its full support for the strike slated for October 10, 2024, if no action was taken by the government.

The General Secretary of the ICU, Morgan Ayawine, said to the Daily Graphic that the country had reached the precipice as far as galamsey was concerned, hence the need to take immediate action.

Organised Labour

Last Tuesday, October 1, 2024, Organised Labour served notice to embark on a nationwide strike to back its demand for an outright ban on small-scale mining as a measure to halt the illegal mining menace in the country.

The decision was arrived at after a crunch meeting by the labour unions in Accra last Tuesday, following the expiration of the September 30 deadline given to the President to declare a state of emergency over galamsey.

Mr Ayawine said the galamsey issue was a big problem that could be equated to the worst enemy of Ghanaians.

Consequently, he said there was a wide range of agitations from civil society, Organised Labour and other stakeholders in view of its devastating effects on the livelihood of the people and society at large.

Activities of galamsey, he said, had destroyed lands that could have been used to plant cocoa, one of the key foreign exchange earners for the Ghanaian economy.

Cocoa

“No wonder the cocoa industry is declining. But all of this contributes to the sustainability of the Ghanaian economy and so as leaders, spokespersons for Organised Labour and for that matter various constituencies – the locals, institutions, public boards and corporations and what have you, we have to wake up from our slumber and take a decision,” he said.

As a result, Mr Ayawine said on September 11, 2024, Organised Labour met and took a giant step that implored all to wake up and be counted to fight galamsey and its impact on society and future generations.

“Organised Labour agreed that government took steps to stop this illegal mining menace once and for all and in asking government to take steps, we have also asked that the equipment and accoutrements, and whatever, should be seized and the licences of the perpetrators be withdrawn forthwith.

“It said government should also ban these operatives from spoiling our lands and our water bodies. We did not stop there and this effort resulted in a ministerial committee meeting, a subcommittee of organised labour on the September 17,” he said, adding that “it was a good meeting and government representatives promised that they were going to get back to Organised Labour after a week because they needed to consult broadly as there are other stakeholders”.

Consultation

After the consultation, he said, there was the need for them to come back so that collectively they would look at the way forward.

But, he said one week down the line, Organised Labour did not hear anything from government.

Mr Ayawine said from the foregoing, it appeared that government did not understand the rules of engagement.