Accra, Aug. 31, GNA - The Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Tuesday denied allegations of frustrating the Government's socio-economic development efforts.

In a statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra and signed by Mr Kofi Asamoah, TUC Secretary General, said the congress found it difficult to understand why a matter on utility tariff increases which had already been addressed by the office of the Vice President should be distorted by a Minister of State.

Mr Nii Amasah Namoale, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Fisheries, was alleged to have accused the TUC of attempting to use the utility tariff increment to sabotage the government.

The TUC in a rebuttal reiterated that the congress was not against tariff increment but the magnitude of the increment, and had called on the government to at least spread the increment over a two year period.

The statement emphasised that "TUC is not affiliated to any political party in Ghana and so their engagements with governments of the day is purely under the spirit of social partnership which does not intend to undermine the efforts of any ruling government in developing the country.

"It is the duty of the government to protect its people from exploitation by employers as well as complement government's efforts", it added.

The TUC noted that the impression created by Mr Namoale which sought to craft the Union as being against tariff increases was rather disingenuous.

The TUC, therefore, advised persons with limited capabilities in labour relations in Ghana to desist from making unguarded pronouncements which had the potential of raising the labour relations temperature in the country, as such an atmosphere would not serve the interests of both government and the working people of Ghana.