Organised Labour celebrates May Day in Tamale

Tamale, May 2, GNA - The Northern Regional branch of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Friday joined the rest of the country to celebrate this year's May Day to recognise the contribution of workers.

Various organised labour groups thronged the Tamale Jubilee Park to celebrate the day carrying placards which appealed to the Government to take steps to reduce taxes while other placards reminded the Government about rising utility bills and cost of living, low salaries and power crises in the country.

Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniri, Northern Regional Minister, commended workers for their contribution towards the nation's socio-economic development and urged them to use the occasion to rededicate themselves towards working hard to increase productivity.

He said government had put in place adequate steps to address the many challenges facing workers.

On the current energy crisis, he said government was working assiduously to put an end to the challenge by bringing in power badges and partnering with the private sector to install renewable energy such as solar.

Mr Elvis Mahama, the Northern Regional Chairman of TUC, called on government to be guided by policies enshrined in the Constitution to ensure that the economy was managed well to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen.

He said the 10 per cent cost of living allowance given to workers could not mitigate their poor living standards because of the high tax regime, the continues increase in utility tariffs and the depreciation of the cedi.

Mr Mahama said organised labour was ready to contribute its quota towards sustaining the country's democracy by playing its expected role to ensure transparent, free and fair elections in the 2016 polls.

'We shall, therefore, not fail to resist any attempt by any group that intend to subvert the current democratic dispensation or threaten the peace and stability,' he said.

GNA