Thomas Musah, the general secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has given Organised Labour, and in particular GNAT, assurances that their planned strike action against irresponsible and illegal mining will go place on October 10 as scheduled.
Speaking in an exclusive Accra interview on Friday with Jude Duncan of Citi News, Musah revealed that the decision to start the protest and strike action was made in spite of the President and Organised Labour’s recent meeting.
In a meeting with the leadership of Organised Labour on Thursday, October 3, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo pleaded Organised Labour to exercise patience with his government while they endeavour to find a long-term solution to the threat.
The Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) regulations of 2022 should be revoked, all licenses granted for mining prospecting in forest reserves and protected areas should be withdrawn, and special courts should be established to prosecute galamsey offenders, according to Organised Labour.
Musah, who was not at the meeting, explained that collectively as a group, they still stand by their previous demands on the issue of illegal mining.
“What’s the definition of more time, with the people dying, what will happen to them? It is for us to make a decision, it is between life and death.”
“Organised Labour, we have all agreed and that is what GNAT is standing by, we agree that there should be a state of emergency on illegal mining. [We still stand by] the decision of Organised Labour on the protest,” he said.
Source: Citinewsroom