WACAM SALUTES WORKERS

Mr. Daniel Owusu-Koranteng is the Executive Director of WACAM

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday April 30, 2010
Wassa Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) has congratulated organised labour and the working people of Ghana on this year’s May Day, which is under the theme, “Consolidating workers’ solidarity and the legacy of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.”

A news release issued in Accra and signed by Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director of WACAM said “WACAM’s May Day solidarity message is premised on the need to consolidate solidarity among all sections of working people and for the nation to rethink development based on control of our natural resources for true economic and political independence.”

It added, “WACAM recognises that the nation rides on the back of its working people and the protection of the interests and rights of the productive forces of Ghana should be regarded as national priority in our governance system. The nation and its people continue to survive on the sacrifices of the working people who do not receive equitable share of the national wealth."
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The working people of Ghana which includes farmers, fishermen and a host of people in the informal sector of Ghana’s economy make tremendous sacrifices in the creation of social and economic wealth of the nation, but their standard of living do not reflect the national wealth created by their efforts.”

“The celebration of May Day is a reminder of the fact that it is only through solidarity and common actions that the working people of Ghana could protect their interest and rights. Ghana is endowed with abundance of natural wealth including gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese, timber, forests, salt, kaolin, oil and gas, which if well managed, would improve the standard of living of Ghanaians, especially working people.

“Unfortunately, the extraction of our natural wealth which has benefitted foreign multinational companies has brought minimal benefits to Ghana and created untold hardships for host communities. The natural wealth belongs to all Ghanaians and the working people of Ghana should be interested in knowing how the extraction of our natural wealth would benefit all Ghanaians.

“As we celebrate the worker’s day of solidarity, it would be necessary to remind organised labour of the need to solidarise with their compatriots in mining communities who bear the brunt of the operations of mining companies. The poor farmers in mining companies are unorganised and faced with the challenge of engaging with large multinational mining companies on many technical issues.

“WACAM implores organised labour to reflect on the social and economic issues relating to natural resource extraction. The Ghana National Land Policy (1999) is against mining in forest reserves and organised labour should take a principled stand against mining in forest reserves. In the midst of all these challenges, the working people, including rural workers have sustained the economy of Ghana.”

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