The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union of Ghana (ICU), has joined the fight against illegal mining currently ongoing in the country popularly referred to as galamsey.
According to the union, the effect of the menace is threatening the work of some of its members especially those in cocoa growing regions.
[contextly_sidebar id=”xLiE2WrY36H09ZA5WhZMgl2CG9oQhPfK”]The ICU in the past few years flooded May Day celebrations with placards which had inscriptions voicing out several concerns of its workers.
But this year’s celebration of May Day in Takoradi saw only two messages written on their banner; “Stop Galamsey to maintain our cocoa farms” and “Stop Galamsey and preserve our water bodies.”
Speaking to Citi News, the Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the ICU, Ebenezer Osei Assibey, explained that “we brought only two placards this year. If cocoa is being cut off and galamsey is taking its place, it means that our workers will lose their work in the cocoa industry, cocoa farmers themselves will be out of the stream, the workers and their families, that is a chunk of people who are going to be affected.”
Mr. Asibey, who is known for speaking out the concerns of labour without fear or favor, continued that, “we are in support of the fight ongoing against galamsey because all our water bodies are been polluted. If our workers drink this contaminated water, it is going to bring a lot of hospital bills to our members and to Ghana as a whole. We are much concerned about Galamsey as workers”.
There has been an ongoing campaign against small scale mining of all forms across the country led by Citi FM, other media organisations and civil society.
Government has responded positively to the campaign by taking action against all forms of small scale mining across the country.
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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana