Galamsey: gov’t races against time to stop organised labour’s Thursday strike

The industrial action coincides with demands for the government to intensify efforts against illegal mining, specifically by prohibiting all mining activities in forest reserves, among other measures.

This comes after a key meeting today to discuss the President’s request for additional time to address their concerns.

“The government’s proposals do not sufficiently meet our demands, so our strike notice remains in effect,” the leadership stated.

On October 3, President Akufo-Addo urged Organised Labour to reconsider the planned strike during a meeting.

He assured the labour leaders of his administration’s commitment to combating the environmental damage caused by illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, and emphasized the importance of unity in tackling this urgent national issue.

However, at today’s meeting, members of Organised Labour concluded that the government’s assurances fell short.

As a result, “our strike notice remains unchanged.”

The demands from Organised Labour include declaring a state of emergency, revoking L.I. 2462, and deploying military forces to forest areas and water bodies to fight illegal mining.