Concerned Ghanaians Group Backs TUC

The Concerned Ghanaians for Responsible Governance (CGRG), a pressure group spearheading Ghana�s �occupy� movement, has endorsed the Trades Union Congress� (TUC�s) decision to organise a nationwide protest and industrial action on Thursday dubbed, �Black Thursday�.

According to the group, whose �Occupy Flagstaff House� demonstration two weeks ago generated intense public discourse, thinks the TUC�s contention reaffirms its own views on the deteriorating state of the Ghanaian economy.

�CGRG is fully in support of the declaration by Organised Labour and urges all concerned Ghanaians to join the protest on Thursday, July 24, 2014. Let us come out in our numbers, clad in red, and join members of Organised Labour in this all-important fight for a Better Ghana. In doing so, let us exhibit the utmost respect for the law and conduct a peaceful demonstration,�George Kojo Anti, the Executive Secretary of the group, stated in a press statement released yesterday.

� The one-day national protest affirms the numerous demands by CGRG to the present government to be fiscally responsible, monetarily wise whilst focusing on time-bound actions to bring the Ghanaian economy back on track and to aggressively pursue steps to punish non-performing, inept and corrupt officials. Certainly Ghana deserves better than what we are currently experiencing,� Mr. Anti stated.

The nationwide strike on Thursday by all workers to protest against the worsening economic condition in the country would be heralded by a procession from the Obra Spot in Accra, through some principal streets in the capital. The protest would be replicated simultaneously nationwide, TUC boss, Kofi Asamoah, had announced.

��all workers, including those of you in the media, formal and informal, are to stay away from work and converge at designated locations in Accra and other regional capitals to demonstrate,� Mr. Asamoah stated last week.

Fear

The planned demonstration by the umbrella body of Ghana�s organised labour has struck fear in the John Dramani Mahama administration as experts estimate that it would bring the nation on its knees.

Ghana�s organised labour is almost one million workers strong and a downing of tools of these people would bring key government installation to a halt, Austin Gamey, the renowned labour consultant, alerted.

The TUC is protesting a plethora of chaos plaguing Ghana�s socio-economy including: erratic supply of electricity, unreliable supply of water, the ever-depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi, constant increases in taxes, inefficient revenue collection, very poor road networks, constant increment in utility tariffs, Government�s inability to address labour-related issues, among other things.

Police Antics

The police have warned that they would not endorse the protest, according to the Acting Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Cephas Arthur.

But Kofi Asamoah has warned against any attempt to stop the TUC from its planned protest.

�We call on the Ghana Police Service to be professional and assist the protesters by providing security on the day as it did during the �Occupy Flagstaff House� protest on July 1, 2014. We all have a role to play in ensuring that Ghana works again,� the CGRG stated in support of the TUC�s warning to the police.

Source: Daily Guide