Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, has accused the government of failing to fulfill key commitments made to the union in 2024, particularly regarding efforts to tackle illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, and to protect Ghana’s water resources.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews, Dr. Otoo recalled the discussions held between labour unions and government following the aborted strike action in 2024, saying the administration had failed to uphold its part of the deal.
“In 2025, you will agree that even with that aborted strike action in 2024, we agreed on a number of things with government.
“But it is now clear to everybody that those things we agreed with government, government did not keep its part of the bargain,” he stated.
Dr. Otoo expressed frustration that while unions have continued to engage in good faith, the government’s lack of commitment has undermined public confidence and weakened the collective fight against issues like galamsey.
Touching on why the illegal mining menace often struggles to rally widespread union action, he explained that many workers do not see the issue as directly linked to their core interests.
“If it’s galamsey, there are some people who may think that it is far removed from them, even though that might be a myopic view, but it is what it is,” he noted.
He further clarified that it is easier for unions to remain united on matters directly affecting their welfare, such as salaries and working conditions, than on broader national issues.
“So the point I’m making is that if it is not a core issue, like wages and salaries for which unions are trained and for whose unions actually were established to address, it is always difficult to maintain unity around those issues,” Dr. Otoo added.
