Ghana Organised labour demonstrates against economic hardships

Some of the workers during the demonstration
Some of the workers during the demonstration

Organised Labour on Wednesday staged a mammoth demonstration in Accra to express  disapproval of recent increases in utility tariffs and the energy sector levies initiated by the government.

The demonstration which pulled thousands of people clad in red marched from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle through some principal streets of Accra and ended at the Black Star Square amidst brass band music and dancing.

The demonstrators led by executives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC)  were holding placards with inscriptions such as “Ghana belongs to all of us and not few elite, “President Mahama be compassionate”, ” Spare us our future politicians”.

Mr Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General of the TUC, presenting a petition to Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations said the organised labour believed that the barrage of insensitive increases in taxes, levies and utility prices is unbearable to the average Ghanaian.

“Our actions are intended first and foremost to get government to reduce the utility tariffs to 50 per cent and to withdraw the ‘killer’ Energy Sector levies Act”, he added.

He noted that the Energy Sector Levies Act, which has occasioned very high and unjustified increases in fuel prices described the move as most desperate and insensitive policy, thereby denying Ghanaians the benefit of the recent falls in crude oil prices and the stability of the exchange rate.

Mr Asamoah said the by the actions organised labour  are informed by the fact that government has lost touch with the economic and social realities of Ghanaians as its policies are dictated and directed by the International Monetary Fund.

He added that government raised public sector wages by 10 per cent while inflation stood at almost 17 per cent , and that governance system where taxation becomes obsession is unbearable to workers and businesses.

“Organised labour is not in denial of the need for some increases in utility tariffs, but given the current situation of Ghanaians, we firmly believe that the levels of the current increases are unbearable and are asking government to stagger the increases.”

In December 2015, government and the Public Utility and Regulatory Commission announced steep increases in utility tariffs of 59.2 per cent for electricity and water and 67.2 per cent for water.

Organised labour wrote to government and had series of meetings in an attempt to have an amicable agreement he said, adding that the last meeting it had with government ended inconclusively at the Flagstaff House on Thursday January 14.

Mr Iddrisu, who received the petition on behalf of government thanked the Organised Labour for peaceful demonstration and promised to convey the statement to President John Mahama for discussions.

He said government would not take any decision that would inflict pain on Ghanaians and any resolution taken by government is intended to improve the economy especially the energy sector.

He said opportunities are available for continuous negotiation adding that government would meet Organised Labour On Thursday, January  21 at the Flagstaff House .

Source: GNA

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