New Trade Union For Africa

A SINGLE labour organisation for the African continent known as the International Trade Union Confederation-Africa (ITUC-Africa) has been formed in Accra.

The new body was formed out of the unification of two bodies, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions –African Region Organisation and the Democratic Organisation of African Workers Trade Union-Africa.

When the leaders of ITUC called on President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, to inform him about the merger, he described the initiative as opportune and in the spirit of the African Union agenda.

He urged the leaders to work together in partnership with employers for the good of humanity.

“The central objective for the merger of labour unions should be to work to strengthen labour and humanity.”

The delegation, which was led by Ghana's Trades Union Congress Secretary General, Kwesi Adu Amankwa, included leaders of African Trades Unions and members of international affiliates.

According to the President, “this century is marked as an era of globalization and it is best therefore for leaders of the world labour front to close their ranks and work together.”

He mentioned that Africa had been described as the last frontier for human development but such development cannot come about without government and labour front working together.

“This way, the business community would realize that they cannot easily get away with their actions,” he observed.

By Emelia Ennin