Accra, Oct 24, GNA - Mr Napoleon Kpoh, President of the African Regional Branch of the Union Network International (UNI), has left Accra for India to attend the World Executive Board Meeting of UNI. In a pre-departure interview, Mr Kpoh who is also the former General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union of Ghana, said during the four day conference, the board would be looking at a number of issues that affected employment around the world.

He said the board would also examine the dwindling union membership across the globe in both developed and developing countries. Mr Kpoh said in view of the suspicion by the International Trade Union movement that private equity was partially and to a large extent contributing to the collapse of enterprises through "reckless acquisitions, takeovers and mergers, it was becoming evident that these takeovers and mergers were aimed at huge profits and wind falls to financial market speculators "and their political allies". He said in many cases, due diligence was not taken before the takeovers took place, adding that vital pieces of information on those transactions were denied the public.

"Experience has shown that in most cases of private equity intervention, the company that is affected only survives for periods of between five to seven years and then collapses," he said, adding that sustenance of employment was not considered to be as important as the gains to be made by the stake holders in such cases. Mr Kpoh said the meeting would examine the role of Private Equity in the public set up as well as international trade union support training projects.

"We would examine various policy interventions that affect employment and conditions of employment", he said. About 60 delegates from all over the world are expected to attend the meeting. 24 Oct. 07