May Day Marked With A Difference

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday, 02 May 2008
This year’s May Day was a celebration with a difference all over the country. The centrepiece was workers street processions before convening at the various parade grounds to listen to the May Day speeches.

In Accra, instead of the usual march past at the Independence Square the workers, displaying banners and placards mainly calling for improved working conditions and salaries, trooped to the venue after massive processions through some of the principal streets.

This year’s celebration was on the theme: "Deepening democracy in Ghana: The role of organised labour".

The street march, dubbed "May Day Float" started at about 7a.m. from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle through Adabraka, TUC, National Theatre, the Ministries to the parade grounds at Independence Square at about 9 a.m.

The marchers clad in their beautiful T-shirts that depicted their various organisations were cheered on by spectators who had lined along the streets.

There was the usual brass band music to entertain both the marchers and the public with the police assisting to ensure that the march was orderly and peaceful.

There was no march past at the parade grounds.

The Police and Prisons Bands jointly spiced up the occasion with good music.

Security as usual was very tight and Zoomlion, a waste management company, was there to ensure that the parade ground was not littered.

The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, arrived at 10.03 a.m followed by President J.A. Kufuor at exactly 10.14 a.m. Both of them took the national salute.

Before the two leaders arrived, the flag-bearers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP) were already seated at the right side of the Presidential dais.

Prof. J.E.A Mills of the NDC wore a white T-shirt with the inscription: "solidarity with the working class" while Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the CPP had his inscripted "Ghana TUC May Day".

Also present were the Minister of Manpower Youth and Employment, Nana Akomea, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye and a host of other ministers and dignitaries.

Mr Kofi Asamoah, acting Secretary-General of the TUC, who read a 16 page 46 paragraph speech had to rush through it amid grumbling by the workers who apparently could not bear being under the scorching sun any longer.

"It is too much", "we have heard you", stop here", they shouted.

President Kufuor started his address by acknowledging that it was his last May Day speech before his term ends as President.

"It is an emotional moment for me. I had a similar experience during the Independence Day parade," he remarked.

He continued, "It comes from a deep sense of appreciation of the honour and opportunity to serve this great nation; and also for the phenomenal support and goodwill that this government has received from different sections of the society, including organised labour."

Organised labour honoured him with a certificate for his participation and support in May Day celebrations from 2001 to 2008.