The Ghana Mineworker’s Union has called on all trade unions across the country to be more proactive in the fight against corruption, especially as the December 7th elections draws closer.
According to the Union, trade unions must not renege on their obligations as they are part and parcel of the governance architecture of this country.
The African Union estimates that 25% of the GDP of African states, or some US$ 148 billion, is lost to corruption every year on the continent. Also, according to IMANI, Ghana loses more than US$3 billion to corruption every year.
Citing some corruption scandals in the country at the union’s national executive council meeting in Accra, General Secretary Abdul-Moomin Gbana, stated that the time has come for trades’ unions to break the silence and speak up more vigorously in dissent on national policy issues in general but more particularly on corruption and corruption related offences.
“One critical area that trade unions in Ghana including the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union continue to shy away from is the lackluster attitude towards the fight against corruption and corrruption related offences. In fact, given the spate of corruption and aborted corruption scandals since the Fourth Republic and the extent of notoriety it has gained in recent years and the debilitating impact on the Ghanaian society and by extension the continent of Africa, reinforces the urgent need to confront this deadly cancer ravaging our country and continent head-on,” he said.
“Let me remind us all that the natural resources of this country belongs to all of us – old or young, abled or disabled, male or female, akan or ewe, tall or short, etc, and not for NDC or NPP, or any other political party. These gory incidences of corruption which has become characteristic of every government since the beginning of the Fourth Republic are totally unacceptable and trade unions, the only voice of the working class and indeed the most representative voice of the citizenery cannot continue to be onlookers.
After all, the success or otherwise of the very bread and butter issues trade unions traditionally advocate for, remain inextricably linked to corruption and its overall impact on the national purse. Therefore, a much firmer hold on corruption would guarantee a much fairer and just society for all including trade unions and their members,” he added.
The Union further, called on other well-meaning Ghanaians and organizations to support a free, fair, transparent and violent-free elections in the 2020 electioneering process.
“In particular, we want to call on the Electoral Commission (EC), the umpire and lead actor in the electoral process to be professional and impartial, work within the mandate allowed it by the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and desist from all acts including public pronouncements that have the tendency to mar the credibility of the elections and its eventual outcome,” it noted.
Click here for the full statement: