body-container-line-1
25.07.2014 Social News

Organised Labour demonstration ends peacefully in Wa

By GNA
TUC LogoTUC Logo
25.07.2014 LISTEN

Wa, July 24, GNA - The Regional demonstration by Organised Labour against the current economic situation in the country ended peacefully in Wa on Thursday.

The demonstrators, numbering about 200, wearing red bands marched through the principal streets of Wa amidst drumming and dancing with heavy security presence.

They carried placards with inscriptions such as 'Don't impose the management of our second tier pension on us, we are capable of managing it on our own', 'Where is our second tier pension money', 'Halt the high rising cost of living', 'Pay us our incremental credit arrears and 'Review downward petroleum prices'.

Others were 'Our transfer grants are overdue', 'We need better conditions of service', 'Revamp the railway sector now', 'Prosecute all corrupt persons now', 'Pay capitation grant for better education', 'John Mahama and NDC stop propaganda and grow the economy' and 'Bole Mahama do something before you die'.

The demonstrators finally converged at the forecourt of the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) where they presented a petition to Dr. Musheibu Mohammed Alfa, the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister.

Mr Godfrey Allassah Balbaare, Upper West Regional Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), who read the petition before presenting it to Dr. Alfa, called on government to immediately implement policy initiatives and measures to ensure requisite infrastructure.

He appealed to government to immediately review downward the prices of petroleum products, and implement effective policy measures to ensure that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) operated at full capacity.

Measure should also be put in place to halt the rapid depreciation of the cedi, and the rising cost of living, and stop the attempts by government to impose a pension's trust on public sector workers.

The petition also called for immediate action by the National Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA) to address the challenges in the implementation of the new pensions scheme.

It again called for immediate measures to address the perceived widespread corruption in high places, while taking immediate steps to work on major trunk roads that lead to and from the regional capital, Wa.

Dr Alfa commended the regional leadership of Organised Labour and their people for the peaceful demonstration, and assured them that the petition would be channeled to the appropriate quarters for action on their demands.

He stated that the current economic hardships was not peculiar to Ghana,   but a global phenomenon,   and appealed to all to co-operate and support government to implement measures to overcome the situation and make things better for all.

The demonstration did not impact on businesses in the Wa township, as normal businesses went on briskly.

Talking about the poor turn-out, Mr. Balbaare attributed it to the downpour this morning and also, because the Wa Municipal was a stronghold of the National Democratic Congress, the people were not enthused about the demonstration.

He said the numbers were not important, but what mattered most was   the message sent to government.

Some government workers came to office, but many stayed out of work.

GNA EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE

body-container-line