Numerous key stakeholders in organised labour have criticized the comments made by a member of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) regarding the upcoming strike. following a meeting today, Dr. Solomon Forkuo expressed that he does not understand the rationale behind the industrial action, which is set to see all public sector workers, including lecturers, lay down their tools on October 10.
The meeting by organised labour revealed that President Akufo-Addo did not show enough commitment to honouring their demands to ban galamsey in water bodies and forest reserves among others. However, some members of the labour union have rejected the call, saying that it was not the right approach to addressing the issue of galamsey, stressing that “you don’t use wrong to correct wrong.” “Our views have not been taken.
It’s just a few people at the top and they know what they have been taking. They can’t make decisions for some of us. We are in academia – we are teaching and you just get up there and make a decision that you alone are declaring a strike. You are declaring strike for what?” Dr Solomon Forkuo, Member, UTAG and Spokesperson fumed. He added that although not against the action, it is right to be taken for granted because they were not consulted.
Speaking on Top Story, the UTAG President of the KNUST chapter, Prof. Eric Abavare, strongly disagreed with Dr. Forkuo’s stance. He insisted on Joy FM that his chapter was fully committed to the upcoming industrial action and described Dr. Forkuo’s position as both disappointing and surprising.
The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, echoed similar sentiments. This industrial action aligns with its demand for the government to crack down on illegal mining by banning all forms of mining in forest reserves, among other measures. “We are of the view that what the government has proposed does not adequately address our demands and therefore our notice of strike remains unchanged,” the leadership said.
On October 3, President Akufo-Addo appealed to Organised Labour during a meeting asking them to reconsider the strike. The president reassured the labour leaders of his administration’s commitment to tackling the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, also known as galamsey. He expressed the need for unity in addressing this pressing national issue.
But at the meeting, members of organised labour resolved that the government’s assurance was not enough. On the back of this, “our strike notice remains unchanged.” The demands of organised labour’s demands included declaring a state of emergency, revoking L.I. 2462, and deploying the military to forest areas and water bodies to combat illegal mining.
