Accra, June 1, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday sent a strong caution to foreign firms in Ghana, saying that Government would not sit down unconcerned while some of them mete out unfair treatment to Ghanaian workers.

"Government would not tolerate any situation where people would want to take undue advantage of Ghanaian expertise," said President Mills when the Executives of Welders and Pipe-fitters Association of Ghana paid a courtesy call on him at the Osu Castle in Accra.

The visit was to introduce the Association to the President, during which the executives also spoke about the unfair treatment some of its members had suffered from some foreign firms before they came together to form the Association.

President Mills was very clear that much as Ghana was in search of foreign investors, Government would insist on equity and fairness in the treatment of its people.

"There must be equity in everything you do," President Mills said, adding that even though Ghana appreciated the foreign assistance it received in the exploration for its oil resource, Government expected the foreign companies to respect the laws of the land.

President Mills decried the situation where some Ghanaian workers were looked down upon at the workplace and given very low remuneration, describing the situation as discriminatory and unacceptable. He reiterated Government's emphasis on local content, and said Government wanted Ghanaians to be fully involved in the exploitation of Ghana's oil.

President Mills assured the Association of Government's support, and urged the Ghanaian youth to take advantage of such organised groups to train for jobs that came with the discovery of oil.

Mr Theophilus Adams, Chairman of the Association, complained of the lack of a national industrial training centre, bad terms and conditions of work between clients and contractors, resulting in industrial disharmony. Some companies have also refused to pay their workers' social security, and would not improve the working environment, making workers inhale hazardous chemicals, he added.

"In some instances, workers have been subjected to outright insults," Mr Adams said, and alleged that there was an instance in which Ghanaian workers had been prevented by Nigerians from working on a rig in Ghanaian territory. The Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Antwi-Boasaiko Sekyere, assured members of the Association that the Ministry would link them up with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for negotiations on service conditions. 01 June 10