Kumasi, Jan. 17, GNA- Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Acting Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has advocated the merger of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) and Timber Workers Union (TWU) to avoid tension mounting between the two unions.

He noted that both would have nothing to lose if they merged and that the merger haD been given priority attention in the TUC's Medium Term Strategic plan for 2008-2010.

Under the plan, TUC would work very closely with national unions to explain the possibility of mergers, particularly among unions operating in the same sector.

Mr Asamoah was addressing the 8th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) in Kumasi on Thursday. The three-day conference being attended by 300 delegates all over the country is under the theme; "Organizing for Change-The Role of Rural Workers".

He described as unfortunate the intention of the government to sell Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to the Stanbic Bank and said the ADB was established 40 years ago by an Act of Parliament with the sole objective of providing credit facilities to farmers. Mr. Asamoah noted that ADB was also founded for national benefit of Ghana and Ghanaians but not for foreign investors with predatory instincts and urged that ADB should be strengthened to carry out the mandate of supporting poor farmers in the country who could not have access to credit in the private, commercial and urban-based banks. Mr. Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf asked the union to use the occasion to evaluate its performances and adopt effective and pragmatic measures to enhance its activities and programmes.

He advised the union to intensify its education to the rural dwellers to explain government policies and programmes to enable them to participate fully in them.

Mr. Samuel Kanga, General-Secretary of GAWU said the union had actively engaged in advocacy and campaign programmes in networking efforts on key policy issues affecting the country. He mentioned that the union, in partnership with Rights and Voice Initiative (RAVI) has been implementing its advocacy and campaign on the promotion of local rice industry. The General Secretary announced that the Union's 50th anniversary celebration would be held next year and appealed to the members to actively participate in a series of activities that would be planned in connection with the celebration. Mr. Bright Adongo, National Chairman of the Union called on the members to forge in unity and deliberate on issues to promote the welfare of the members and the union as a whole.