Galamsey: Presidency’s meeting with Organised Labour needless, bogus – Gyampo

Professor Ransford Gyampo, President of the University of Ghana’s chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), has dismissed the Presidency’s invitation to the leadership of Organised Labour to discuss its planned strike against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, as needless and bogus.

Organised Labour announced its decision to embark on an indefinite strike on Tuesday, October 1, in response to the government’s failure to meet their demands, which include a ban on all forms of mining and the declaration of a state of emergency to tackle galamsey.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, October 3, Prof. Gyampo accused the government of acting in bad faith and lacking courtesy in its handling of issues with Organised Labour.

He expressed frustration with the government’s approach, calling it “predictable, needless, and bogus.”

“Anytime Labour goes into an agreement with them [the government] and for some reason, they can’t meet the terms, they don’t even have the courtesy to tell us that they cannot meet our demands

“We knew this is what they will be doing. It is so unproductive that they know what to do and they will not do it but go and call you somewhere to discuss issues. They always want to talk to leaders and not problems and that is needless and bogus.”

Prof Gyampo also justified the decision of Organised Labour to give a week’s notice before its October 10 indefinite strike, saying it is a window created to allow all the other unions that make up Organised Labour to adequately prepare and follow due process.

“People who do not know how Organised Labour operates say why didn’t we declare the strike immediately but Organised Labour is made up of other unions and so it is appropriate that we inform those unions appropriately before a major strike.

“There are various processes that are taken before a strike and that is why we are giving a one-week window.”