There is a mad rush for labour cards in the Ketu District by hundreds of job seekers at the new Diamond Cement Factory at Aflao that starts production soon.

The management of the plant, overwhelmed by the number of job seekers, have put up a notice requesting them to

obtain labour cards and route their applications through the Labour Office at Denu.

When the GNA visited the Labour Office on Monday more than 40 men aged between 18 and 55 years were in the compound waiting for their cards to be processed.

"My greatest happiness would be when I am employed to be on a regular income," Mr Kwesi Anani Ntaseseh, a 19-year-old Junior Secondary School leaver told the GNA.

Emmanuel Agonku, 42, said he was looking for the position of a security man. "I have a family and it is difficult if you don't have a regular income."

Mr Albert Ankumah, Ketu District Labour Officer, said hitherto only two applications were processed for labour certificates in a month but the number has jumped to 20 per day.

He said the category of people seeking the certificate include graduates, HND holders, senior and junior secondary school leavers, National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) and City and Guilds certificate holders and unskilled people.

Mr Ankumah said the labour office has held discussions with management of the cement factory on the Labour Decree of 1967, that obliges employers to only recruit people with labour certificates and through the labour office.