TUC launches campaign on NEPAD

Accra, July 26, GNA - African governments developed the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) Document on their own volition and adopted it to resolve some inherent politico-socio-economic challenges that impeded development, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of State in charge of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD, said in Accra on Tuesday.

"NEPAD is a response to Africans' failures and if its ideals are conscientiously implemented, it will help bring peace and stability, political and economic growth and less labour unrest on the Continent" Dr Apraku told members of the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC). Launching a campaign on NEPAD and the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) initiated by the TUC for its members, Dr Apraku said the document had nothing to do with neo-colonialism but it was rather a plan of action that would assist governments to address factors that retarded progress of the Continent.

He said Africa's woes of underdevelopment, corruption and impoverishments, emanated from bad governance and that those factors that militated against development were all considered in the formulation of the NEPAD Document although the people were not initially involved in its formulation.

"That nevertheless, would not hinder the attempt to solicit views of the people as and when it becomes necessary to review the tenets even as they are implemented to the benefit of the people", Dr Apraku said. He said with the TUC's principles for fair livelihood, adequate health, educational opportunities, respect for human and labour rights, democracy and good economic governance and corporate accountability, which formed the bedrock of NEPAD, the TUC stood a chance of benefiting from the Document.

He, therefore, commended TUC for their initiative and efforts at educating themselves on the Documents and pledged the Government's commitment in bracing the storms to help to address the needs of workers and Ghanaians as a whole.

Mr Alex Bonney, Chairman of the TUC, said the campaign on NEPAD was launched to educate workers and to help them to understand and monitor its implementation to see whether it would truly benefit them. He said earlier survey had indicated that most workers did not understand NEPAD and GPRS and that prompted the TUC to embark on such a campaign to educate workers.

Mr James Anquandah, Head of Administration, TUC said as awareness was being raised on NEPAD and the GPRS, trade unions should strive for their voices to be heard and agitate where necessary against unsuitable policy decisions that went counter to the interest of the poor and vulnerable in society.