News
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
He said, “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.
According to him,“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.”
He said, “There are various processes that are taken before a strike and that is why we are giving a one-week window.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
News
Afenyo Markin criticises Police over handling of Abronye’s case
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo Markin has raised concerns about the handling of the arrest and detention of Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye.
According to him, the police invited Abronye on Monday, September 8, and he honoured the invitation with his lawyers.
He said Abronye submitted himself to interrogation but, within an hour, was taken into the custody of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
The Minority Leader questioned why the police, who were investigating the case and had their own holding cells, decided to send someone being investigated for a misdemeanor to the NIB.
He intimated that checks confirmed that the NIB was not investigating or interrogating Abronye, but had only kept him because the police requested it.
He wondered whether the move was meant to punish Abronye, stressing that the police detained him the whole of Monday night and Tuesday morning, before presenting him to court on 9th September.
The Minority Leader added that in court, the police asked for Abronye to be remanded to allow further investigations, and the judge granted the request.
He however described it as unfortunate that the police handcuffed Abronye when he was leaving the court.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Power Is like an ice block, it melts from day one – Afenyo-Markin warns
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has urged political leaders to learn from past mistakes and handle power with caution.
Speaking at the Accra Circuit Court for Abronye DC proceedings, Afenyo-Markin admitted that governments in the past, including his own side, had made mistakes and were not perfect.
He warned that if such mistakes were repeated, the country could be heading in the wrong direction.
He pointed to the removal of a former Chief Justice as an example, saying a report was prepared even before a committee hearing was completed.
According to him, such actions make it difficult to control extremists and hardliners in Ghana’s politics.
The Minority Leader stressed that power is temporary and must be exercised responsibly.
“Power is like an ice block, When it’s given to you, it starts to melt from the very day,” he noted.
By: Jacob Aggrey
