TUC against ROPAB

- THE PUBLIC Relations Officer (PRO) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Mr. Kwaku Darko Afari has reiterated that the Union was still against the passage of the Representation of the People's Amendment Bill (ROPAB) until all political parties who participate in the country's electioneering process reached a consensus.

Speaking to The Chronicle in a telephone interview, Mr. Afari disclosed that the Union, as far back in November last year resolved that with the controversy surrounding the Bill, the country would be better served if its intended passage was suspended.

According to Mr. Afari the fear of the TUC was that the passage and subsequent implementation of ROPAB could create doubt about future elections in the country, which could result in a major confusion such as civil wars currently been fought in our neighboring countries.

“Given the controversy that surround it (ROPAB) one cannot guarantee that they would be peace in this country if any future election has to be decided on votes from outside the country,” Mr. Afari cautioned.

He explained further that nothing has changed about the various conservative stance taken by the various political parties since November last year, and as result the TUC still believed that ROPAB has the tendency to plunge the country into a civil war.

Mr. Afari stressed that the fears of the Union have been reinforced by the indefinite boycott of parliament by the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs) and various threats that were being issued by the politicians against the passage of the ROPAB.

On today's intended demonstration against ROPAB by the opposition parties, stakeholders and individuals, Mr. Afari explained that TUC as a trade union had not taken any position and therefore he could not speak on it.

The Chairman of the Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL) Mr. Wilson Agana, in a separate telephone interview with The Chronicle, stressed that their union being a subsidiary of the TUC were bound by their mother's position.

He explained that the TUC had not changed its position, taken in November last year against the passage of ROPAB and as a result, he was of the view that the mother union was still against its passage and so was their outfit.