The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has served notice it will not be part of the nationwide industrial strike announced by the leadership of organised labour to compel government to impose a ban on small-scale mining in the country.
Leadership of organised labour after a crunch meeting on Monday indicated it was taking the industrial action for President Nana Akufo-Addo to also declare a state of emergency against the illegal mining commonly referred to as galamsey.
However, GMA in a statement issued yesterday by its President Dr. Frank Serebour stated that the Association “has not declared roadmap for an industrial action”.
It said, “all members are expected to continue providing full services without interruptions.”
GMA, according to the statement, will continue to support actions that will fight the galamsey menace.
“The GMA, however, is in solidarity with the Organised Labour in this fight against Galamsey.
“The National Executive Council (NEC) will give further information when necessary,” the GMA statement concluded.
Organised Labour has insisted on the strike action scheduled for Thursday, October 10, in spite of pleas from President Akufo-Addo that certain actions will be taken to fight the illegal gold mining scourge.
‘Ambushed strike’
Meanwhile, there is growing rage among sections of the organised labour as they oppose the unilateral decision of their leadership to declare the nationwide strike.
A group calling itself “Concerned Members of organised labour,” has voiced its strong discontent over the lack of consultation and communication regarding the strike action.
Speaking to journalist in Kumasi on Monday, a member of the group and lecturer at the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), Dr Solomon Kwarteng Fokuo acknowledged the severity of the illegal mining crisis in Ghana the group.
He however decried that the grassroots members were left out of organised labour’s decision-making process.
“We are all part of organised labour and condemn illegal mining in the strongest terms. However, our major issue lies with how the leadership has rushed to declare this strike without involving us.
“We have not been involved in any of the activities that they have been doing. We don’t know where they get their energy from and if they had used the same energy in fighting for our welfare, things would have been better. We want to see the document they have presented to the government to address this menace.
“Our views have not been taken. It’s just a few people at the top and they know what they have been taking. They can’t make decisions for some of us. We are in academia, we are teaching and you just get up there and make a decision that you alone are declaring a strike. You are declaring strike for what?” Dr Fokuo fumed.
Consequently, the University don has called for immediate dialogue between the leadership and local members.
“We are giving them 48 hours to come back to the grassroots and engage in discussions with us to accept or incorporate our views. Declaring the strike is not the way forward,” he stated.
Other members who have spoken about the non-consultative approach of the leadership of the organised labour are Dr. Ishaq Kyei Brobbey and Prof. William Gyadu-Asiedu of the Kumasi and Koforidua Technical Universities respectively.
It is feared that a nationwide labour strike will cripple the recovering Ghanaian economy and this may lead to widespread agitation in the country.
NDC & external forces
It has been speculated in certain quarters that the sudden rise in the levels of demonstrations and the intended labour unions’ strike are all being influenced by the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some external forces that are bent on destabilising Ghana.
An external force such as Russia-backed ‘Wagner Group’ has infiltrated some countries in West Africa including Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, leading to instability and military coups d’état in those countries.