Dr. Sampson Anomah, a senior lecturer at the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), has criticised Organised Labour for engaging in politics with its recent demands for the government to declare a state of emergency over illegal mining activities.

According to him, the union has deviated from its principles and primary mission of protecting the rights of Ghanaian workers, as reported by myjoyonline.com.

Dr. Anomah believes that Organised Labour’s threat to initiate a nationwide strike in an attempt to compel the government to take drastic measures is politically motivated.

“This is a national interest issue, not something for Organised Labour to lead with a strike. Their core mandate is to protect workers’ rights, not to force the government to take drastic political actions,” he said.

Dr. Anomah questioned the motives behind Organised Labour’s recent actions, asking why the union failed to address issues of illegal mining until just a few months before the elections to mount pressure on the government.

“Where was Labour when this issue persisted for years? Why now when we are close to a major election?” he asked.

He added, “If you see a sound person behaving like a mad person, there’s usually something behind it,” he is quoted as saying by myjoyonline.com.

Organised Labour has indicated that it is proceeding with its planned nationwide strike on October 10, 2024, seeing that the government has failed to declare a state of emergency over illegal mining activities.

MAG/AE