Founding President and CEO of the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, has warned that it would be “very foolish” for Organised Labour to call off its planned strike, which aims to pressure the government into taking firm action against illegal mining, also known as ‘galamsey.’
In a Facebook post on Friday, 4 October 2024, the Founding President of IMANI expressed skepticism about government’s commitment, stating: “Organised Labour will be very foolish to call off the nationwide strike against state-sponsored illegal mining”.
He indicated that the President, his vice-president, and the entire government have “never been serious about fighting the menace”.
Organised Labour has declared a nationwide strike set to begin on Thursday, 10 October 2024, due to the government’s failure to address critical issues related to illegal mining.
This decision followed an emergency meeting held on Tuesday, 2 October 2024, where union leaders expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of government action.
Organised Labour had previously issued an ultimatum, giving the government until the end of September to take effective measures against illegal mining, which they argue is harming the environment and threatening the livelihoods of many Ghanaians.
Joshua Ansah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), underscored the urgency of the situation, stating, “With the expiration of our deadline and the government’s failure to meet our demands on illegal mining, Organised Labour has decided to initiate a nationwide strike starting on 10 October 2024”.
Mr. Ansah urged all workers to stay home from that date as a form of pressure on the government to take swift action against the illegal mining crisis.
In response, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo called on Organised Labour to reconsider their planned strike, reassuring them of his commitment to addressing the environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
During a closed-door meeting with union leaders on Thursday, 3 October 2024, the President acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and emphasized the need for immediate and decisive action.
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