Emmanuel Benimah, ICU-Ghana Deputy General Secretary (seated right), Samuel Ananga, ICU-Ghana Deputy General Secretary, Administration, (seated 2nd from left) with the VALCO Board, Management reps. and new Local Union
Executives
The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU-Ghana) has officially inaugurated a new set of executives for the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) Local Union.
In a speech delivered by the Deputy General Secretary (Operations), Brother Emmanuel Baah Benimah on behalf of the General Secretary of ICU-Ghana, Morgan Ayawine, he underscored the importance of the occasion, describing it as a significant step in strengthening labour leadership within VALCO, and made a call to protect the company’s status as a wholly Ghanaian-owned strategic asset.
ICU-Ghana reiterated its firm opposition to any attempt to dilute Ghana’s ownership of VALCO through foreign equity participation. According to the union, VALCO remains a strategic national asset that must be preserved for the benefit of present and future generations.
“Not even the smallest fraction of it should be ceded to local or foreign interests through equity participation. VALCO belongs to the people of Ghana, and the Government, as their representative, must explore all lawful means to recapitalise the company without resorting to equity divestment, which we consider inimical to the national interest,” he said.
He also urged the government to explore alternative means of recapitalising the company without resorting to equity divestment, and maintained that VALCO’s operational challenges, though longstanding, can be managed if the government commits adequate financial support and decisive policy direction.
Reflecting on Ghana’s industrial history, ICU-Ghana lamented the past sale of valuable state assets, linking it to rising unemployment and the weakening of the country’s industrial base. The union called for a renewed commitment to safeguarding strategic industries like VALCO.
The newly elected executives were encouraged to draw lessons from their predecessors’ performance, work collectively towards restoring the company to its former strength, as well as act responsibly and in alignment with the values of ICU-Ghana, emphasising fairness, justice, and industrial harmony.
They were cautioned against actions that could undermine the broader objectives of the national union, while also being encouraged to consult leadership when necessary.
Management, on the other hand, was advised to remain open and constructive in its dealings with workers, with a strong emphasis on dialogue as the primary tool for resolving disputes, and further advised to handle disagreements with mutual respect and wisdom.
The following individuals were sworn in to serve a four-year term as executives of VALCO: Chairman – Samuel Agyeman; Vice Chairman – Uel Uzziel Matekole; Secretary – David Kwabena Yeboah; Assistant Secretary – James Appiah; First Trustee – Joseph Agbanyo; Second Trustee – Nii Okai Tagoe; Executive Member – Joseph Atsu Damalie; Youth Representative – Frank Ananga; Women Representative – Gifty Nyanful and Chief Shop Steward – Mark Spears Tetteh.
By Vera Owusu Sarpong