Organized Labour has categorically denied allegations that its leadership was financially influenced by the government in deciding to call off a planned nationwide strike scheduled for October 10.

The strike aimed to protest the government’s perceived inaction regarding illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.

Accordingly, King Ali Awudu, president of the Coalition of Concern Teachers (CCT) and a prominent member of Organised Labour, dismissed the bribery accusations as baseless and unfounded.

He emphasized that the actions of Organised Labour had already prompted significant progress, compelling the government to take concrete measures.

Awudu asserted that the decision to cancel the strike was driven by the tangible outcomes of their negotiations, rather than any financial influence.

“Whenever somebody is of a certain opinion, and another has a dissenting opinion the easy thing some people in this country would do is to accuse you of going to A or B. But mind you, so many organizations in this country have threatened to do certain things about galamsey but the government never mind them, including the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

“Since December 2023, they have issued notices to the government to revoke the LI that allows mining in forest reserves, but the government has never minded them”.
King Ali Awudu

Awudu further emphasized that Organised Labour has made significant strides in less than a month, culminating in the government’s directives to revoke the Legislative Instrument (LI) that allows mining in forest reserves.

“This is what we want, and it is being achieved,” he remarked, highlighting the effectiveness of their advocacy.

He questioned the rationale behind continuing with the strike, arguing that the tangible progress made thus far demonstrates that dialogue and negotiation have proven more fruitful than confrontation.

As such, he indicated that by achieving these results, Organised Labour aims to foster a cooperative relationship with the government to address the critical issues surrounding illegal mining and its impact on the environment.

Organised Labour’s Strike Suspension Lacked Consensus

Meanwhile, Professor Eric Abavare, President of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), asserted that the suspension of Organised Labour’s indefinite strike was a unilateral decision made by the group’s leadership.

He emphasized that this suspension does not represent the views of the other associations within the union.

“If we are going to have a meeting with them [Organised Labour] and you come with a prepared speech, it is the decision of Organised Labour to call off the strike and that is why we cut ties with Organised Labour

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Akufo-Addo declared a state of emergency before Parliament approved and that is all that we are saying that the president must apply the same scenario here and declare a state of emergency and ban galamsey”.
Professor Eric Abavare

This was despite the gathering’s purpose being to reach a final determination on the strike scheduled to begin on Thursday, October 10.

In light of the suspension, UTAG has decided to disassociate itself from Organised Labour’s actions and will proceed with its own indefinite strike.

Accordingly, Prof. Abavare reiterated the association’s call for a declaration of a state of emergency and an outright ban on all forms of mining to protect the environment and communities affected.

He urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to take these critical demands seriously and respond appropriately to the ongoing crisis.

Abavare also emphasized that the demands had not been met and that the decision made by the leadership of Organised Labour differs significantly from UTAG’s stance.

He stressed that UTAG does not wish to be associated with that decision, as it undermines their commitment to addressing pressing issues in the education sector.