Labour Galamsey Fight: We Aren’t Joining Strike- Midwives and Nurses

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives (GRNMA) have excluded themselves from the strike action declared by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) over illegal mining commonly known as galamsey.

The decision was reached during an emergency meeting held on October 8 over the industrial action declared by the mother union.

It has thus directed all its members to remain at the post.

“The GRNMA solidarises with the member Trade Unions and Associations under Organised Labour in the fight against galamsey and will continue to advocate for stronger national interventions to curtail the galamsey menace in Ghana.”

It comes a day after the President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr Frank Serebour, issued a statement also excluding its members from the strike action.

Strike
Organised labour is set for an industrial action starting on October 10, 2024.

This is geared at compelling the government to declare a state of emergency; revoke LI 2462 that mandates the mining in forest reserves; remove seized machinery from forest reserves; establish special courts to try those engaging in illegal mining; give the police and the military a free hand to operate; and compel political parties vying in the general election to make a commitment to the fight against galamsey.

Last week, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo met with the leadership of the group.

At the meeting, the President is said to have committed to taking steps when Parliament reconvenes to revoke the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, 2023 (L. I. 2462), prohibit illegal mining in water bodies and forest reserves, and designate these areas as Red Zones for mining.

Furthermore, they reportedly agreed that the Attorney-General would collaborate with the Chief Justice to ensure swift adjudication of illegal mining cases while all Presidential Candidates sign a pact committing to the fight against illegal mining to depoliticise it.

Subsequent to all the agreements reached, the group agreed to back down on the intended strike, according to the government.

However, at a presser on October 7, the group announced plans to proceed with it.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini