Organised Labour has vehemently denied accusations of accepting bribes from the government to call off a nationwide strike protesting the government’s inaction on galamsey.
The strike, scheduled for October 10, aimed to pressure the government into addressing the environmental and health hazards caused by galamsey.
King Ali Awudu, president of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers and a key member of Organised Labour, dismissed the allegations as baseless and unfounded.
“Whenever somebody has a dissenting opinion, the easy thing to do is accuse them of being bribed,” Awudu stated. “But we’ve achieved tangible results through our negotiations, and that’s what matters.”
Organised Labour’s actions have led to significant progress, with the government committing to revoke the Legislative Instrument (LI) permitting mining in forest reserves within a month.
Galamsey has ravaged the environment, polluting water bodies and destroying ecosystems.
The government’s perceived inaction has sparked widespread outrage, prompting calls for action from various sectors, including civil society organizations and concerned citizens.
Organised Labour’s Demands
In September, Organised Labour threatened to embark on a series of demonstrations and a nationwide strike if the government failed to address galamsey concerns by the end of the month.
BY Daniel Bampoe